Bedlam and Broomsticks
by direwolfprincess
Summary: /"Please!" Sirius begged. "You have to be my fake girlfriend! Save me from Marlene!" And when Izzy Flynn agreed to be Sirius Black's fake steady girlfriend, she knew the year was going to be chaos. SB/OC./
1. Droobles Gum and Witty One Liners

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks: a fanfiction by Geekiness-is-LOVE.**_

**A/N: Hey peeps who have traversed fanfiction and stumbled across my story. I hope you enjoy! Next chapter up in two days, most likely.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, that was J.K Rowling, goddess that she is. (I do however own Izzy Flynn.)**

**Of Droobles Gum and Witty One-Liners:**

10:45 a.m., September 1st, 1978. The day that the Hogwarts Express would leave the station, Isabella Flynn on it. Izzy smiled to herself, tapping her foot on the dashboard of her mother's car, radio playing the Beatles softly in the background.

"I'll miss you."

Izzy felt her eyes tear up, though she begged them not to, every year. "I'll miss you too Mum."

"Promise to write." They pulled into the station and both women hauled the trunk out of the back of the car and placed it on a trolley.

"I will." Izzy pushed her long dark brown, softly tousled hair behind her ears, smiling gently.

Her mother nearly cried at the sight of her. She was so grown up, going off to her last year at Hogwarts. She wore a grey baggy sweatshirt, black tight jeans and motorcycle boots. Usually her style was much more eclectic, but when questioned, Izzy had said this was more comfortable to sleep in. Her handbag was slung over her shoulder, purple and patched, and her mother knew it would hold at least one book and her Walkman. Her daughter was willowy, and petite, a small girl, much like her own mother. She had bright blue big eyes that could melt anyone's heart, and long brown hair that she wore in no particular style, not vain enough to care.

Her mother smiled through her tears. "I love you Belle."

"Love you too." Izzy latched tightly on to her mother and didn't dare let go, cherishing these moments with her favourite person in the world.

Waving, Izzy pushed her trolley into the station, and her mother watched her until her chocolate brown head of hair disappeared into the throng of people amassed inside King's Cross.

As she caught sight of the barrier between platforms nine and ten, a voice called, "Izzy!"

Whirling, she saw Peter Pettigrew emerge from the crowd. "Hey Peter," she said cheerily, slightly unsure of why the boy was talking to her. He was pleasant enough, but they'd only spoken on a few occasions.

"How was your summer, you gorgeous ravishing creature?" Izzy rolled her eyes. Of course Peter hadn't been alone. She turned back again, and the group of boys that had given themselves the moniker "Marauders" were heading straight towards her.

"Brilliant," she responded to Sirius Black, resident hot boy and Tosser of the Century. "What about you, Black? I see you've neglected to have those glorious locks trimmed this summer?"

"They're my trademark," he grinned, grabbing onto a bunch of her hair. "Yours are quite luscious, if a little neglected."

Izzy rolled her eyes as Sirius lit up a cigarette. "Lung cancer."

"That's what I keep telling him," James Potter swooped in, hair sexily ruffled, bespectacled eyes shining, giving Izzy a hug.

"Oh Captain, my captain!" Izzy exclaimed, hugging him back. **(Anyone get the reference?)**

"At your service." James bowed. "We're going to win the Cup this year," The Chaser/Captain announced to his little zippy Seeker.

"Just snog already," Sirius groaned.

"Huh?" James looked confused.

"Is that all you think about?" Izzy asked, crossing her arms in disapproval.

"Not at all. I also fancy myself a good shag," Sirius chortled. "Why, Little Miss Prude?"

"You're ridiculous."

"Ooh, she's mean."

"Ooh, he's a tosser."

James stepped in. "Come on guys, let's go."

Izzy smiled at Remus. "Hey, Remus."

"Izzy. Good summer?"

"The best," Izzy replied gloomily.

They ran at the platform barrier one after the other and as they regrouped, Sirius announced, "She started it."

"Did not. Honestly, Black, you're so childish I have no idea why anyone fancies you at all."

"Because I'm a fucking hot stud."

"Oh thank god!" Izzy exclaimed as Alice walked by. "A beacon of light in all the dark and madness."

Alice grinned, popping her gum. "Hey Iz." She hugged her quickly and looked around at all the boys. "Marauders." She gave a nod of deference to the legendary pranksters.

"That's how people should treat us," James puffed out his chest and Alice reached out and ruffled his hair for him.

"I was taking the piss. Come on Izzy!"

Alice looped her arm through Izzy's and the two girls walked off. James stared at Sirius. "Are you planning on _not_ staring at Izzy's arse anytime soon?"

Sirius stubbed out his cigarette with one booted foot. "Not staring."

"Are too."

"Am not."

Remus put a hand on both their shoulders and steered them towards the train. "Come on you tossers."

The boys snagged a compartment apposite Izzy and her group, and James stared through the windows, waving at Izzy and staring longingly after Lily Evans.

"The agony of forbidden love," James sighed.

"Your love isn't forbidden, she just hates your guts."

"Thanks Padfoot."

"No problem. Well, I'm heading off for my first day of school snog."

"I'm heading off for my first day of school prank."

Remus sighed. "I'm not even going to try and stop you. Just know that I think your morals are shot."

"Me or him?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Both, but especially you."

James and Sirius shared a look, shrugged, and headed out into the corridor.

"Gotta pee," Izzy announced, exiting her compartment into the corridor.

Sirius approached her as she was waiting for the toilet. "Fancy being my first day snog victim, Flynn?"

"The fact that you call them victims gives me an insight into your future as a sex offender."

Sirius ignored her. "So?"

"Can't. Gotta use the loo. Maybe next year. Oh wait …"

"Ha ha," Sirius grinned. "You'll succumb to my incomparable charm and rapier wit one day."

"I'd rather die first."

"I'm wounded!" Sirius clutched his chest as the bathroom line cleared.

"Later Black."

"See ya, Flynn."

When the long ride finally ended, Izzy jumped enthusiastically from the train, and spotted Lily directing the first years to the boats. "Hey!" Lily jumped down and looped her arm through Izzy's, ducking her head down to share the news.

"Potter happens to be Head Boy."

"Ah yes. I knew that. I just didn't want to have to tell you."

Lily's mouth dropped open. "Mean."

"Yes well." Izzy grinned. "Gotta go or I'll miss the carriages and have to ride with the first years!"

Izzy skipped off, leaving Lily to direct and boss the first yearsaround, and barely reached the last carriage before it took off. As she opened the door, Sirius grinned. "Just couldn't stay away, could you?"

"Yes, my rejection of you this morning was merely a subtle hint of my undying love for you."

"Knew it."

"Who was your 'victim' in the end anyway?"

"Marlene. I couldn't find anyone else."

"She's hot." James said. "Not as hot as Lily Evans but ... Why do you sound depressed?"

"She's a clingy slut and her constant need for attention is going to smother Sirius. To _death._" Izzy predicted with satisfaction.

"Oh."

When they reached the castle, her group was waiting for her, along with Frank, Alice's boyfriend. "Collect some strays, hey?" Mary asked cheerily. "Hey guys."

Izzy looked back at the four boys who had followed her almost silently. "Obviously."

Lily approached the group warily, seeing her arch nemesis joking with her friends. "Hey pretty woman!" James exclaimed. "How was your summer Lilykins?"

"Fine, Potter." Lily said cautiously. "Do you have a twitch?"

"What?"

"Do you have a twitch?"

"I was being suave and sexy by winking."

"Oh." Lily brightened. "I was only going to be nice if you'd developed a twitch from stress or something. Later, you prat."

James looked glum. "You did look a little twitchy." Sirius faked a spasm.

"Shut up, Padfoot."

Izzy laughed. "Come on you nutters."

The group entered the Great Hall together and slid in to the last remaining seats near the front of the hall and the new first years. "Fresh meat." Sirius grinned at Izzy.

Izzy tried to decipher that grin. Were she and Sirius friends? Not friends? Sometimes she thought she fancied him, but that was ridiculous, because she was the Queen of the Virgins and he was a shagger. A famous or infamous really, man whore, who was only interested in chasing skirts. He also had never had a serious relationship in his life. He was the shag 'em and leave 'em type, whereas Izzy wasn't even the shag 'em type. Oh hell. Stopping trying to decipher the mess that was her friendship with Sirius she grinned back and whacked him on the arm when he started glaring at first years, frightening them almost to death.

Izzy reminisced. "I was so scared up there. And the hat was going to put me in Ravenclaw."

"I'm glad he didn't," Sirius smiled.

"You are not." Izzy said, shocked. Did Sirius just admit to appreciating her friendship? Well, almost. As close as she was going to get from Sirius, anyway.

"Am too!"

"Can we not go a minute without arguing?"

"Guess not. I was equally scared that the hat was going to put me in Slytherin, or not put me in Slytherin. I was shitting myself either way."

"You're better here than in Slytherin," Izzy said honestly.

"Thanks."

James rested his chin on Izzy's shoulder from behind. "Aw, sweet moment."

"We should snuggle." Sirius suggested.

Mary popped her head in between them. "Uh-uh. No way. She reserves the snuggling for me."

Sirius' eyes popped. "Did I hear a subtle hint of girl on girl action there, mate?"

James nodded. "Mate, I think you did."

"I want to see this girl on girl action."

"I think I see flying pigs out in the grounds!"

"What?"

"Oh, you mean we weren't playing the 'Let's See Who Can Name The Most Ridiculous Scenario Ever' game?"

"No."

"Oh. Sorry Sirius, no can do." Izzy winked at Mary. "My bed, midnight, be there."

"You bet, lovie." Mary turned to talk to Lily and Izzy grinned at Sirius.

"Real rendezvous?" He asked suspiciously.

"Remember what I said about the flying pigs?" she asked him laughingly.

"That's what I thought."

"It was a good dream, mate." James patted him on the back, sadly.

Sirius shovelled some potato in his mouth as plates and mounds of food appeared. They laughed, and chatted, and Izzy thought that she would finally be able to sleep well and feel happy now that she was where she belonged.

As usual, when dinner was over, the bunch was tired, and not in the mood to walk up seven flights of moving stairs, and find the North Tower, where they would have to climb another set of stairs to get to their beds. "Cruel and unusual punishment," Izzy sighed grumpily as she rested her head and Mary's shoulder, Alice still chewing gum behind her.

Sirius pouted. "Carry me, Prongs. I'm tired."

"No way. Have you gone completely mental?"

"I officially sack you as my best mate. Refusing to carry me was harsh, but the mental barb? Pure cruelty."

"That's too bad. I'll miss the cuddles."

"You were a good cuddler," Sirius admitted. "I'll just cuddle Izzy instead."

"You'll do no such thing," Izzy protested as Sirius gathered her into a hug. She was so small that her face was pressed into his chest, arms trapped by her sides.

"That's right. Relax. Let go of your worries, and just breathe." Sirius was acting as if he was trying to lead a meditation class or something equally as fruity.

"Forget your troubles come on get happy, you better chase all your cares away!" Mary sang, sounding melancholy.

"You know what that song's about, right?" Izzy asked, voice muffled before Sirius released her.

"Yes, Izzy. Why?"

"You sound slightly depressed."

"Mind your own business, Sirius." Mary shot at him, every skerrick of her cheerful demeanour washed away.

"With pleasure. She bites," he commented to James.

"Jerry didn't owl me over the summer." Mary admitted gloomily.

Sirius raised an eyebrow as Izzy rubbed Mary's back. "Jerry is such a tosspot name. Fancy a snog?"

Mary glared at him and Izzy pushed him, both hands against his chest. "Not the time."

"It's always the time for the gorgeous studly Sirius!"

Mary sniffled and laughed at the same time. "I'll admit you're funny, but I'm not snogging you. God knows what I'd catch!"

Izzy laughed and then shrugged as Sirius glared at her. "What? It's true!"

"Alright then, Her Majesty of all the Virgins."

Izzy poked her tongue out at him maturely. Alice popped her gum loudly. "Guys, please."

"Why do you always chew gum?" James asked deliriously.

Alice laughed. "There's no hope for any of you. You're all deliriously tired!"

"Yup." Izzy laughed as they entered the common room and claimed the seats by the fire. They were all deliriously tired, but none were going to bed yet.

"This year is going to be awesome." Sirius commented sleepily from beside the fire.

"A whole last year of prankitude."

"James, that isn't a word."

"And how do you know that, Is-A-Bella?"

Izzy rolled her eyes and began to doze in her armchair. Lily came down the stairs, took in the scene and took charge. "Come on, up you get," She grabbed Izzy and pulled her out of the armchair.

"Yes Mummy dearest," Izzy acquiesced.

"Off to bed, boys," Lily commanded, as she herded Alice, Izzy and Mary towards the stairs.

And just as Sirius, James, Remus and Peter put their feet on the stairs to go to bed, through the wall they heard Izzy laugh tiredly. "Fancy a snog, Mar?"

James and Sirius shared a look. This girl deserved to be a Marauder. She was awesome.

**Please review … Tell me what you think of my OC Izzy Flynn, because I was planning to use her in a couple of one shots that are lined up! :)**


	2. Bras and Beaters

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: One shot up about Sirius and my OC, Izzy Flynn. Check it out, it's called 'Karaoke Virgin.' Enjoy both this chapter, and that one shot!**

**Of Bras and Beaters**

Izzy woke curled under her covers, Mary spooning her. Lily stood above them, looking confused. Izzy opened her mouth but Lily held out her hands. "I don't know what happened, nor do I want to know, just please get up and get ready for classes."

Izzy rolled over and poked Mary continually until she groaned and began to regain consciousness. "Ungh."

"Well, that's not English." Izzy laughed. "Get up and get ready, daft girl."

None of them except for Lily and Alice were morning people, and those two knew not to try and start a conversation where they didn't get their head bitten off until they were downstairs and Izzy and Mary had been fed.

Grabbing her tie, Izzy surveyed her room and wondered why Lily could be so clean and she could be such a slob? Pulling her hair back into a lopsided messy bun, no need of a mirror, she shrugged her shoulders, trying to stretch her back.

Mary only opened her eyes once they were in the common room, where they collected Alice from her spot by the fire and made their way to the Great Hall.

While Mary was buttering her toast and looked more civil in the Great Hall, Izzy giggled. "Awkward to the max, Mar. What were you doing in my bed last night?"

And like they had super-sensitive-selective hearing, Sirius slid on to the bench beside Mary. "Did I hear something about Izzy and Mary sharing a bed?"

Alice nodded. "Yup. I get up this morning and see two faces popping out over Izzy's covers. For a second I thought it might be you, Black."

Izzy aimed a kick at Alice under the table, but missed and hit Lily instead. "Ow!"

"Sorry."

Mary coloured. "It was cold, I was tired, I thought that was my bed, and then I fell asleep straight away."

Sirius looked bored at the actual truth of the matter. Izzy grinned. "I didn't mind the snuggles. The spooning thing this morning was a bit awkward though."

Mary blushed again. "Anytime lovie," she laughed.

Sirius looked between the two of them. "I cannot wait to get you two, a bottle of Firewhiskey and I in a room together. Merlin, the sexual tension!"

Izzy looked at him disgustedly. "Black, you are a sick little boy."

"Yes I am," he winked and slid down the bench to sling his arm around a sixth year. "Hi," he said suavely. "I'm Sirius Black, have I seen you around before?"

The girl looked speechless. Izzy also slid down the table and leant over Sirius' shoulder. "He has herpes, a psychotic personality disorder and … oh yeah! He's _mine_."

The girl scurried off quickly and Sirius pouted. "Mean. But it is hot when you're territorial. Second day of school snog?"

"Emus in the Prefect's bathroom!" Mary yelled cheerily. Izzy and Sirius looked at her confusedly. "Oh. Sorry. I thought we were playing that game again." Izzy high fived her and Sirius sighed glumly.

"Girls are mean." Sirius whined to James as he sat down for breakfast.

"Not all girls are mean," James said, staring at Lily who had been speaking to Marlene but now came and sat with them.

"What are you doing with my friends, Potter the Prat?" Lily questioned.

James sighed. "You're right. Girls are mean."

"I'm honoured you consider me your friend."

Lily sniffed. "Oh. Black. I didn't see you there."

"Wounded!" James and Sirius cried out simultaneously.

"Like you tried to beat me to death with a broomstick," Sirius elaborated. "Sort of a dull aching pain all over."

James leant closer to Izzy, "Speaking of broomsticks, Quidditch tryouts start tonight, as officially appointed vice captain, do you want to help me?"

Izzy squealed. "I'm vice?"

"Yes, my lovely lady."

Sirius' jaw dropped open. "What about me?"

"You sacked me from title of best mate," James shrugged. "Nah, just kidding. Minnie decided, not me. She said you lack responsibility."

Izzy poked her tongue out. "Not fair! Flynn lacks responsibility too!"

"Sorry Padfoot. You'll just have to try out with the rest of the team. And remember, I don't choose favourites, I choose talent. So maybe you should dust the old Beater's bat off and give it a whirl."

"I'm not just a Beater," Sirius muttered to himself. "I'm a beast."

McGonagall distributed timetables as Izzy laughed at Sirius' ramblings. She looked at her timetable, looked at Sirius' and sighed. All of her classes were the same as his. It was like the school was determined to shove them together until Izzy admitted she fancied him or murdered him with a nothing but a quill and a bottle of ink. The others were all in different classes for the first block and they all trailed off, leaving Izzy with Sirius. "Come on you beastly stud."

"I cannot belive you got vice and I didn't."

"You heard James, I'm more responsible."

"You are not!"

"Am too!"

"Are not!"

"Maybe she thinks I'm more committed. There was that time we only had one Beater for the entire match and after we lost to _Hufflepuff_ we found you under the stands snogging Rebecca."

"Yeah," Sirius scoffed. "One time! And she's a fox!"

"Idiot."

"Nutter."

"Tosser."

"Virgin."

"Why is that your ultimate insult towards me? Shagging guys is not what I would call an accomplishment! If you love someone, shag the flipping hell out of them for all I care. But otherwise, don't go round acting like a slut."

Sirius laughed and laughed and laughed. He wiped his eyes and slung an arm about a cross Izzy's shoulder. "So innocent. So naïve."

"I'm right."

"You aren't."

"Yes, I am."

"Well, why don't we shag to test your theory?"

"Oh look! There are purple cats operating a walking suit of armour!"

"The game?"

"Yup. And I'm pretty sure you win every time you make a sexual advance towards me."

"Sexual advance." Sirius chortled at her terminology. "You are the virgin to top all virgins."

"You don't even know for sure that I'm a virgin." Izzy flounced down the corridor, empty, because they were late for their classes.

Sirius went through Izzy's dating history in his mind. Yes, he knew who she'd dated. "Not Alan Green," he begged. "Don't tell me you shagged your fifth year boyfriend Alan Green!"

"What if I did?"

"He was a dick."

"I'm aware, that's why I broke up with him."

"But did you shag him before you broke up with him? Did he manage to get your Alan Whickers off?"

"For your information, no he did not manage to get my knickers off, you vulgar man whore. But still, who's to say I'm not a virgin?"

"The _deflowerer,_" Sirius leered.

"Don't say deflowerer. Please. I'll let the virgin jokes slide if you don't say deflower."

Sirius rolled his eyes as they headed into their classroom, Professor Tubbington already teaching. He gave them a stern look as they slid into two seats at the back, Sirius whispering, "So dramatic."

"As I was saying, the washing machine is a fascinating Muggle invention we'll be learning about. The things these Muggle manage to do without magic astounds me no end! They are a smart bunch!"

Izzy rolled her eyes.

* * *

><p>At lunch, Izzy ran into the Great Hall and slid in-between Alice and Mary, James opposite her. "Please," she begged. "Please tell me I have a class with someone other than Sirius Bloody Black!"<p>

James grinned. "Transfiguration. With me, Alice, Mary, Remus, Lilykins and yeah, Sirius is in that class too."

Izzy sighed. Well, a girl could dream.

Mary frowned. "How do I manage to have every class with you Potter?"

"Just part of my charm, I guess."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"You don't even make sense."

"Oh ouch, that cuts deep."

"Your face cuts deep."

"Once again, no sense."

"I'm gorgeous, I don't need to make sense. Wouldn't you agree Lily flower?"

'Lily flower' answered with a withering glare. Izzy could almost swear she saw James Potter shrivel and die a little bit.

Sirius laughed and slung an arm about Izzy shoulders. "Why so upset about us having classes together?"

"Your face," Izzy answered, mocking James and making no sense.

Sirius began to sing. "_Don't, don't you want me? You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me_!"

Izzy flipped him off and poked her tongue out at him.

"Ooh, the virgin doesnt like being seranaded!"

James sighed. "Padfoot. Shut up. Anyway, Izzy, we have something we need to ask you."

"Yeah." Sirius popped his head in. "We need to borrow your bra."

"Um, you guys haven't had a class together all day. How have you managed to plot what I'm sure is a devious and legendary prank involving my bra?"

"We've got skills."

"You aren't getting my bra James. And Sirius, the way you've been treating me today, no way."

"We need it as a Quaffle throwing machine in try outs today," Sirius whined.

"As vice, it _is_ your responsibility." James said.

Izzy shook her head in disbelief. There was no way she could deal with them anymore, and no way they were getting her bra. "Got to go, you freaky little psychopaths. See you in Transfiguration."

Alice popped her gum cheerily as they left the hall. "I cannot believe they want your bra for practise."

Mary and her double D's grinned. "I know, but it's not like she actually needs it."

"Just because I'm a perfectly normal C cup you mutant freak. "

Lily shook her head. "Something other than bra size please?"

"Why, you discuss enough of that with Potter today?" Izzy asked laughingly.

"Ha ha." Lily gave them her sourpuss look as she herded them into Transfiguration, reminding them all very much of McGonagall.

In Transfiguration, McGonagall informed them that area of study one would be Animagi. Sirius and James nudged each other down the front as Remus and Peter hid grins. And as they watched, McGonagall transformed into a cat before their very eyes. One moment a stern looking bespectacled woman, next moment a tabby cat perched nimbly on a stack of textbooks.

James chortled. "Maybe that's why you fight like cats and dogs."

Remus chuckled. "We have to remind ourselves of the crush he had on her in third year, though. No dog feels that way about a cat."

"This one does, doesn't it Padfoot? Come on, that's a good boy," James acted as if he were talking to a dog.

Sirius pretend growled at him, snapping at his fingers. "What about you and the young new nurse, Madam Pomfrey, hey Moony? Bet you'd like to play doctors and nurses with her!"

Remus hid his face in his textbook and stifled laughter as Professor McGonagall tapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Mister Black! The abominable vulgar content that I hear come out of your mouth astounds me! Twenty points from Gryffindor and next time it's a detention!"

Sirius sighed as the class groaned at him. As usual, the Marauders had put Gryffindor below zero in the House Cup on the first day of term.

After class, Izzy left her friends behind in a whirlwind of brown flowing hair, slipping out of the classroom, praying she went undetected by the Bra Hunters.

No such luck.

"Hey Izzy."

"Go away Sirius."

"You wound me."

"I hope you die."

"PMS'ing, hey?"

"Don't you have a second day snog to get to or something?"

"Not today. I'm all yours. And I need the bra."

"Yeah, please Izzy."

"James, I don't care if I'm vice-captain, I'm not giving you my bra to practise with. And if you threaten me into giving it to you, I'm pretty sure that's a crime."

"Please Iz."

"Yeah, please Izzy."

"I'm sure there's some old contraption you can use to throw the Quaffle's anyway, like maybe, your arm?"

"But this'll be more effective." James argued eloquently.

"And more fun." Sirius' eyes shone brightly.

Izzy clambered awkwardly through the portrait hole and tried to shake them off on her way to the girl's dorm. No luck. Again.

She stopped on the stairs, so she was taller than them. Connecting in eye contact with both Sirius and James she sighed. "Practise is at 5, I'll see you then."

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked like a lost puppy, moving to put a foot on the stairs.

"I just need a break. And don't you dare put a foot on that stair, you tosser, because I'm not in the mood for a slippery slide."

"Break from what?" James asked forlornly.

"You and your bra stealing sex offender best mate/ sociopath." Izzy refused to feel sorry for these boys. They had a way of making a girl melt, but she needed a nap, and there was no way she was going to give them her bra. Never ever ever never ever.

"Alright." James sighed. "See you at practise, vice captain."

"Righto then gorgeous, catch you later."

And just as Izzy thought they'd given it up, as she put her foot inside her dorm, like pit bulls hanging on to an idea and not letting it go, she heard them yell simultaneously, "Don't forget the bra!"

…**Reviews? Maybe? Please? :)**


	3. Bread Rolls and Break Ups

**_Bedlam and Broomsticks_**

**A/N: For some reason my inbox is all screwy, so I shall respond to a reviewer's question here.**

**Angel2u: When do they fake date? Be patient my little reviewer. All good things come in time.**

**Thank you to all my other reviews who I cannot reply to at the moment because Fan Fiction decided to get all pissy on me. Ahem. Enjoy.**

**Break ups and Bread rolls:**

Izzy rolled off her bed and looked at the homework she had spread out before she'd taken an involuntary nanna nap. She grabbed her alarm clock. Five fifteen. "Damn. I have Quidditch try outs!"

Alice grinned. "Good luck. Sirius is going to use your tardiness as an excuse to steal vice-captain."

Izzy poked her tongue out. "Who says tardiness anyway, Al. How old are you?"

"Don't mock, just get dressed and to the pitch." Alice threw her a stick of Droobles best blowing gum. "For luck."

"I'll choke."

"Just take it, you daft thing."

Izzy sighed and stuck into her singlet, pulling on her Quidditch work out gear. "Later Alice. If I choke, tell Lily and Mary they're awesome."

"What about me?"

"You gave me the gum that will lead to my downfall."

"Downfall?" Alice mocked. "Who says that? Are you an immortal Dark lord?"

"Not yet, but I'm awesome enough to be."

"Bye," Alice yelled as Izzy zipped out of the room. "Ya slag!"

"I heard that!"

"Love you!"

Izzy grinned and began running full pelt out of the castle towards the pitch, stopping only to grab her broom, a Comet Two Sixty, not the best model, but with her amazing skill, she could make anything work. Ha ha.

James looked at her disapprovingly as she arrived. "You're late."

"I know. I fell asleep."

"And you don't have a bra."

"I'm not giving you one of my bras, you pervert. I'll throw the Quaffle if I have to, and I'm the bloody Seeker, that's not what I do! You aren't getting one of my bras." All the prospective teammates watched the exchange curiously.

"Quite insolent for the late comer who also happens to be vice-captain."

"Shut up Sirius." Izzy snapped.

"Come on James," Sirius whined. "She turned up late and doesn't have a bra. Please let me be vice."

James chortled. "So not equal to what you did, Padfoot. You skipped a match to shag a girl."

"It wasn't shagging, we just snogged."

"Like that makes a difference," Izzy poked her tongue out, and went and stood beside James.

"Not to the Virgin Queen it doesnt, but to me, it makes a world of difference."

"Shut up Sirius, dont make me come over there."

"Ooh, I'm scared now."

"You should be."

"Guys!" James glared at Izzy and Sirius, who went and stood with a few sixth and seventh years. He turned to Izzy. "Right, you lead them in a drill, and I'll assess their talent."

"Righto then Hitler, why don't you lead them in the drill?"

"Because I need to watch them."

"Sorry Caveman, I didn't realise you couldn't do two things at once."

James glared. "I'm now officially lording my superiority over you, Isabella Flynn. Do what I tell you."

Izzy poked her tongue out, yet turned to tell the bunch of bedraggled Quidditch players what to do. Sirius grinned. "You know what? I actually don't envy your job."

"James is a tyrant." Izzy rolled her eyes.

Sirius looked around at the large bunch and wondered how on earth the tiny girl would get them to shut up and listen to her, as they were all chatting and ignoring the petite Izzy. What they didn't know was that she was feisty, and could be just as much of a tyrant. An ear splitting whistle cut through the chatter, and Sirius winced, looking at Izzy with two fingers in her mouth, a gleeful look on her face.

"Alright!" Izzy yelled, rather enjoying the authority. "Ten laps round the pitch to see how well you'll fly. Then we'll break off into groups to assess reflexes, then you try for whatever position you want. Position of Seeker is filled! We need two Chasers, Two Beaters and a Keeper. Let's get moving!"

The group began to fly, and as they took off one at a time, Izzy sighed. "You, there, Ginger."

A small boy turned around, looking guilty.

Izzy grinned, white teeth showing. "I know you're in first year. Scat."

He and a bunch of his mates scurried off the field, looking pleased at having come that far. Izzy rolled her eyes. When she turned around, she saw Sirius still lounging on the pitch. "That means you too, most Royal Highness Master Black. Get moving or get lost."

"Harsh words."

"But so true."

"I love you Iz."

"I don't care."

"Want to put in a good word for me with Prongs? Perhaps tell everyone when they get back that there's only one Beater's position to be filled."

"No."

"Please."

"No way."

"But Izzy!"

"How did you get on the team if you're so reluctant to exercise, you lazy lout?"

"My charm works wonders."

"Scat, or I will deliberately tell James not to pick you because you're lazy."

"Mean girl."

"Get on your broom and ride, you tosser."

Sirius sniggered. "Only way you've ever ridden anything, isn't it you virgin?"

Izzy whacked him on the arm. "Don't push me Black. I mean it."

"Maybe that was too far."

"Maybe."

"Sorry."

"Get flying, they're on their fifth lap, and you haven't even started."

Sirius began to fly away, hovering above the ground. "Okay Iz, sorry about the crude virgin crack."

"You are not. You're just sorry 'cause I'm mad."

"Same thing, isn't it?"

"Go away Sirius."

"Okay, Iz."

Izzy covered her face with her hands and fought the ridiculous urge to laugh. God, he made her so insane that she actually wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. If she spent too much time with him she'd have to be put in a psyche ward.

But all annoyingness aside, when Izzy watched him fly, he was awesome and she found that hot. He'd caught up with the rest of the crowd and lapped them at least four times, and managed to get back at the same time as all of them.

They practised until it was dark, Izzy throwing Quaffles, which as Sirius and James told her, was her punishment for not bringing a bra that they could enchant to launch the Quaffle at the rings. They played half-pitch, and Izzy caught the Snitch five times, just because she was that awesome. When they broke up, Izzy was sweaty and tired. James clapped her on the back. "Good job everyone, lists posted tomorrow!"

Izzy leant on Sirius as they headed to the change rooms. "Care to share a shower and save some water?" He chuckled.

"Looks like you'll be doing that with someone else." Izzy laughed as Marlene ran across the pitch.

"Oh no." Sirius sounded as if Voldemort himself had just turned up for a friendly chat.

"Siri!" She threw herself at him, passionately grabbing his robes and kissing him. Sirius awkwardly pecked her on the lips and stepped away from her.

"Hey Marlene."

"Hi Siri." She batted her eyelashes.

"I'v actually got to go, and um, comb my hair."

"Sure," Marlene sighed dreamily. "See you at dinner sweet pea."

"Sweet pea?" Izzy mocked.

Marlene whirled. "What did you say, Flynn? Don't see you with a guy, do I, you prude? No one would fancy you anyway."

"Oh ouch." Izzy clutched her heart. "I've always wondered why you weren't in Slytherin." She laughed. "Oh, that's right. Your insults suck. Just like your face." She gave James credit for the 'your face' part.

Marlene rolled her eyes hands on hips. "Siri, get rid of the slag and then come hang out with me."

"Slag?" Izzy yelled as Sirius began to steer her away from Marlene. "Thought you called me a prude not two minutes ago?" She leant over Sirius' arms and yelled.

Sirius chuckled. "Alright. Dont go all Rambo on her."

"I could take that bitch."

"I'm sure you could." Sirius laughed. "My point is, don't."

Izzy pouted. "Why does everyone have this image of me as a prude?"

"Maybe if you shagged me …"

Izzy pushed Sirius away. "Fuck off, Black. Looks like you're dating Marlene the Monster anyway."

"I know," he said darkly. "And I have no idea how it happened."

"You shouldn't have kissed her," Izzy laughed. "She a tramp, but she's kind of a committed relationship tramp, if you know what I mean."

"Pretty sure I do," Sirius said gloomily. "She was talking about what our children would look like yesterday."

Izzy hooted with laughter. "Aw. Little Sirius Blacks. We should kill them all before they're old enough to harass innocent women."

Sirius pouted. "While I object to the idea of Marlene as the mother of my children, I wouldn't mind little Sirius Blacks running around one day."

"Well you better wait till they invent cloning, cause no one but Marlene wants to have unprotected sex with you."

"Ha ha," Sirius said sourly.

He was still pouting after they'd got changed, so Izzy grabbed his arm and hauled him into the hall for dinner. "Come on sourpuss," she coaxed.

"I'm too upset to even make a joke about the word sourpuss," Sirius said jokingly. "But I'll get back to you."

"Good to know," Izzy patted him condescendingly on the head and she sat him down. Tearing into a bread roll as she greeted her friends, Izzy made noises of delight. "This bread roll is the best thing I've ever tasted."

Alice, Mary and Lily looked at her strangely. "I've had a bad one," Izzy admitted, "and this is the beacon of light in the darkness."

Alice pouted. "I thought I was your beacon of light in all the darkness."

"You were, but once I had to deal with a Pouting Sirius, a Bitchy Marlene, a James who reminded me slightly of Hitler and all this homework for my N.E.W.T's that I haven't even started yet because instead of studying I fell asleep, and you, my supposed beacon in all the dark, didn't wake me! So, I am searching for comfort in food."

Lily quietly said, "Not that I don't want to further discuss your issues inherent in that rant, but Sirius and Marlene are making a scene and I have a feeling we want to see this for material to mock him with later."

"Cruel," Alice commented.

"But brilliant." Mary and Izzy grinned wickedly.

They all slid and straddled the bench, sitting closer to the Marauders and staring down to where Sirius was standing over Marlene. "Please don't feed me," he begged. "I'm not the type of guy to be in a relationship where we feed each other. I'm not the type of guy to even be in a relationship! Full stop!"

"But we're in a relationship." Marlene's chin wobbled and Izzy could almost feel sorry for her, but then that rage bubbled back in her stomach at being called a prude by Marlene, Resident Skanky Whore.

"No, we aren't." Sirius looked like a mad man. "I snogged you, what's the big deal?"

"We kissed," Marlene cried like a wounded animal, standing up also.

"So?" I'm pretty sure I've kissed James on an occasion where I was totally smashed! That doesn't mean we're in a relationship!"

Sirius and Marlene continued to argue as Izzy pulled James around to face her. "Kissing Sirius, hey?"

"It was the first time we'd ever had Firewhiskey," James defended himself. "Me and Sirius both got a little frisky, and Remus went around howling at the moon."

"What did Peter do?" Mary asked curiously.

"Threw up and fell asleep. He isn't too adventurous, that one. And he can't hold his liquor."

Izzy frowned. "So you and Sirius kissed because you wanted to get some."

"No! Remus dared us and we were all too happy to oblige after another shot of that stuff. You don't know what it does to you," James said darkly. "It's hard core shit."

"Maybe you guys have secret feelings for each other."

"Maybe you have secret feelings for Sirius."

"Maybe you ought to shut up before I hex you into next Tuesday."

"Aw. Young love."

Izzy rolled her eyes and turned back to the Sirius/Marlene fight, which everyone in the hall was now witness to. Sirius held up his hands. "I'm out."

Marlene sniffled and pushed past him. "One day, Sirius Black, you'll come to your senses. And I'll be all too happy to forgive you, just you remember that, okay? Cause I can love you like no-one else can."

Sirius looked slightly confused at that statement as Marlene stormed out of the hall. Students went back to their dinner, gossip swooping from table to table like owls, and Sirius came and sat down next to Lily and Izzy. "So babes," he said. "What's up?"

"Unbelievable," Lily sighed.

"He's just going to pretend like it didn't happen," Izzy laughed.

James shrugged. "That's how we deal with stuff. Prank to let off some steam tonight Padfoot?"

"You bet."

Izzy and Lily shared a look, rolling their eyes. "Boys."

* * *

><p>After dinner, just before Izzy was about to go to bed, she looked back at Sirius, who was staring into the fire. "Are you upset?" Izzy asked sympathetically.<p>

"No-I mean, yes, _so_ upset." He put on a sad face. "Pity/Rebound snog required from none other than you, Isabella Flynn."

"Nice try, Black. I try to be nice, and look where it gets me. Sexual harassment."

"Alright," Sirius admitted. "I'm not upset. Bloody glad to be rid of her actually."

"Oh, really?" Izzy asked sarcastically.

"Rebound snog anyway?"

"Goodnight, Black?"

"Is that a no, Flynn?"

"You bet." She echoed his words from earlier. "I'm going to snuggle with Mary!"

"Enjoy!"

"We will!" Mary and Izzy popped their heads around the dorm room door, looking down at Sirius, devilish grins on their faces.

**Reviews please? I'll try to reply to them ASAP, but my account has gone all weird…anyway, hope you liked it! I love Izzy, she's awesome. Any disagreements?**


	4. Kissing and Sitting In Trees

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: Angel2u! The promised fake dating chapter. I hope you enjoy!**

**Kissing and Sitting In Trees:**

"I need you to be my girlfriend!" The words popped out of nowhere in the common room, and that was how Izzy knew that her year was going to be complete and utter chaos.

She flicked her hair off her face, and looked up from her defence textbook, to see none other than Sirius Black, The Ultimate Man Whore, standing in front of her. "Need?" Izzy questioned mockingly.

Sirius nodded frantically. His grey eyes were wild, hair falling over his face, toned body leaning over hers in the armchair. "Yeah. Well, you can be my real girlfriend if you want," he paused in his panic to flick his hair off his face. "I'm amazing in the sack. But I should rephrase. Will you, Isabella Flynn, please be my fake girlfriend?"

"What's in it for me?" Izzy said, eyeing him off.

"The joy of helping out another intelligent wizard such as yourself?" Sirius said uncertainly.

Izzy squinted and turned her head on the side, as if trying to visualize it. "I don't think that's it," She shrugged her shoulders as if to say, 'what can you do?'

Sirius knelt down and clasped his hands. "If not that, then the relief of seeing me not killed by Marlene?"

"She's not going to kill you," Izzy laughed. "She just wants to get back together with you."

"Exactly," Sirius said feverishly. "And I will _die_ if that happens."

"Why the ruse? Just tell her you don't want to be with her."

"I can't! She keeps following me around, crying and sniffling, and saying I'll regret it and come back to her eventually! If I'm in a relationship she'll realise it's over."

Izzy grinned mischievously. "I heard you and James snogged. Why don't you ask him ot be your fake steady boyfriend."

"You're funny." He furrowed his brow. "Please." He begged pleadingly.

Izzy shrugged and closed her Defence textbook. She leant over her lean legs that were slung over the side of the armchair and captured Sirius' lips in a quick kiss. His eyes were wide when they parted. Izzy shrugged again. "There's no love lost between me and McKinnon."

Sirius grinned. "I owe you." He slid her over and sat in the armchair, pulling Izzy onto his lap, arms loosely around her waist.

Izzy narrowed her eyes. "You're way too comfortable with this, Black." She told him suspiciously. "And _yeah_, you owe me massively. It's only second week. How are you in this much hot water already?"

Sirius ignored the question and grabbed her textbook. "What are you … doing?" He asked confusedly.

"It's this new-fangled thing that people do, right?" Izzy said mockingly. "It's called studying, Black."

He placed a light kiss on her nose. "If you're going to be my fake girlfriend, maybe you ought to call me by my first name."

His face was so close to hers that Izzy actually had trouble breathing. "Alright then," She struggled. "Sirius."

"Izzy," his breath brushed her nose, and out of the corner of her eye, Izzy noticed Marlene delicately climb through the portrait hole. "Shit," He whispered. "It's Marlene. Do I have permission to snog my fake girlfriend?"

Izzy sighed. "Make it quick."

"Sirius Black is not known for making it quick." He grinned.

"Apparently he also refers to himself in the third –" But her remark was cut off by Sirius' lips coming crashing down on hers, and Izzy internally laughed. This was kind of fun. No pressure of an actual relationship, yet all the perks. Because though he annoyed the crap out of her, she could admit it, Sirius Black was a fine looking specimen.

Izzy was never going to admit it, but Sirius Black was an amazing snog. When they surfaced for air, Marlene had stopped dead in the middle of the common room. "I cannot believe this!" As the two looked over, she stormed off up to the girl's dorms and Izzy sighed.

"That's going to be rightly fucking awkward."

Sirius chuckled. "Well, take comfort in the knowledge that you're a top notch snog, and if you weren't such a prude I'd consider shagging you in a broom closet."

Izzy narrowed her eyes and shoved him, her hands splayed on his chest. "You're a tosser," Izzy announced, sliding off his lap and heading across the room. "I mean, a broom closet, really?"

"Love you pookie," He called mock-sweetly as Izzy headed up the stairs. And though she pretended to be mad, a little smile graced her lips.

When she got upstairs, Lily was sitting on her bed. "Gee," Lily started. "You were ages! Talking to Black were you?"

"What?" Izzy asked defensively. "No!"

"You've got that smile," Lily shrugged smugly.

"Shut it Evans."

"Seriously, spill."

"Where's Marlene?"

"Pity shag with Gideon, I'd guess."

Izzy grandly flopped back on to her bed. "I'm officially Sirius Black's fake steady girlfriend."

"Sirius Black doesn't have steady girlfriends," Lily frowned. "Not even fake ones. You snogged, didn't you? _That_ was what the smile was for?"

Izzy blushed furiously. "No!"

"Ohmigod, you did!"

"Go away, Evans!" she chucked a pillow at her head.

"Isabella Flynn," Lily shook her head. "You are so in love."

"I am not."

"Well, if you're not in love, you at least fancy a good shag with Black."

"I do not."

Lily shrugged. "I know I'm right."

Izzy narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to bed."

"Sirius and Izzy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"I hate you."

"First comes love, and then comes marriage -"

Izzy sat up. "I thought you hated Potter, but he seems to think he's taking you to that dance the Prefects have organised."

"Well," Lily griped. "I sort of, accidentally, said yes. He said all this stuff up a good image for the Head Girl and Boy and it just happened. Accidentally."

"Accidentally?" She asked dubiously, grinning. "James and Lily sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"I hate you." She poked her tongue out in a very mature manner.

"Head Girl!" Izzy gasped. "Dress shopping in Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"Okay."

The two girls lay back on Izzy's bed, staring at the ceiling. Simultaneously they said, "Love you really!"

* * *

><p>Sirius, after sitting in the common room for a while, headed up the stairs, trying to stop his mouth from forming that dorky smile. When he reached his bed, James chuckled. "Spoke to Iz, did you?"<p>

"No, why!" He said defensively.

"You've got the smile."

"I do not."

"Yeah you do."

"Tosser." Sirius muttered. "My cheeks really hurt too."

James sighed. "You're in the same boat as me Padfoot."

"Since when am I on a boat?" Sirius asked rhetorically as he pulled his shirt off and climbed into bed.

"You fancy Izzy, I fancy Lily."

"I don't fancy Izzy."

"Sure."

Sirius cringed as he admitted, "But, just so you know, Marlene was following me and Izzy has kindly agreed to be my fake steady girlfriend until I get her off my back."

"Did you snog?" James sniggered, trying and failing to hide his amusement at this new turn of events.

"Yeah."

"She's an amazing snog, isn't she?"

"How would you know?" Sirius asked jealously.

James laughed. "You're in love, you prat. Just admit it."

"I hate you."

"Whatever, git. At least I'm healthy enough to admit I love Evans."

"Yeah, but you're taking her to that dance thing," Sirius whined. "You at least have a shot."

James grinned, treasuring this nugget of golden information. "Well, Flynn agreed to be your girlfriend, didn't she?"

"Fake." Sirius said dully.

"It's a start."

Sirius heard James' deep intake of breath. "What?"

"I just realised, I actually have to take Evans on a date!" James voice jumped an octave or two higher than usual. "What do I say? What do I do? I can't do this! I fancy her, Padfoot, badly!"

"Tosser." Sirius snorted. "You didn't think about that before asking her to the dance?"

"Not really. You know me. I'm an impulsive guy."

"You're an idiot, is what you are."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Izzy dressed up in her warmest clothes, left Lily where she'd fallen asleep next to her last night and headed down to the Great Hall, grabbing a piece of toast before she ventured out in the cold for Quidditch practise.<p>

Sirius met her halfway, swinging his Beater's bat in his hand. "Hey babe."

Izzy's teeth chattered with cold. "Don't call me babe."

Sirius slung an arm over her shoulders. "Alright love."

Izzy sighed, "I would object to this because Marlene isn't around to see our fake PDA, but I'm so fucking cold I'm going to allow it."

Sirius chuckled. "Prongs is a right mad idiot."

"And he's dragging the rest of us down with him." They reached the shed and Izzy grabbed her broom and zoomed up into the air. "Catch me if you can!"

Sirius grinned and shook his head. "Challenge accepted!"

As they were playing lightning fast tag in the air, James blew an ear splitting whistle. "Get down here, you hooligans!"

Sirius and Izzy met in the air. "Ah, shit."

"I know."

They hovered above the ground as James screamed himself hoarse for a few minutes. "I don't care if it's cold, or wet, you're a bunch of pansies! We are going to win the cup this year!" He bellowed.

Izzy sighed. "James, for our firtst match we're playing Hufflepuff, can't we at least chill this week? We know we'll win."

"Do we?" James got all up close and personal. "What if I only have the chance to score ten points and then the Hufflepuff Seeker gets the Snitch? What'll happen then?"

"It won't happen," Izzy shrugged. "I'm awesome."

"Drop and give me twenty," James roared.

"Okay," Izzy looked around at the rest of her team mates. "You just spat on my face, it's cold, it's muddy and I dont know about the rest of you, but I'm out."

Izzy placed her broom in the shed and began her hike back up to the castle. Sirius caught up with her after about two minutes, and the other members of the team stayed for another James Rage, God knows why. "Hey," Sirius said neutrally.

"What's got his knickers in a twist? I thought Lily finally agreed to go out with him."

"Yeah." Sirius rolled his eyes. "And he never thought she'd say yes, so now he's having a spaz attack."

"Clearly. I'm going to eat some pancakes."

Sirius shrugged. "I'm going to have a fag."

"Lung cancer," Izzy rolled her eyes.

"Obesity." He retorted.

Izzy flipped him off and jogged into the Great Hall.

Lily greeted her at the Gryffindor table. "Practise over early?"

"This is all your fault."

"My fault?"

Remus slid in next to Izzy and grinned. "Ah yes. You agreed to go to the dance with him and now James is having a spaz attack."

Lily coloured. "I didn't mean to. I was just too tired to fight with him."

"Sure." Izzy rolled her eyes. Remus took a blueberry off the top of her pancakes. "Hey!"

"See you," he got up to leave. "Meet you in the library later?" He asked both girls.

"Sure."

"See you then."

"It's all your fault," Izzy repeated, sipping her pumpkin juice.

Lily sighed. "I should've just said no."

"Lily, just admit you fancy him, it won't kill you."

"I fancy …" She pretended to choke. "Oh wait, it will. Besides, I don't fancy him."

"You do."

"I don't."

"You do."

"Are we going to have this idiotic argument every time the subject comes up?"

"If that's what it takes." Izzy shrugged.

* * *

><p>Izzy was curled up by the fire like a tabby cat when James lay down next to her, head next to hers, distinctly messy hair ruffled. "Hey."<p>

"Hey, sociopathic Quidditch captain."

"Sorry." James coloured. "I did overstep the line a bit, didn't I?"

"Teensy bit."

"I just spazzed. I want to win the Cup, and be a good Head Boy so that Evans knows I'm good enough for her."

Izzy's heart just about melted. "Well, as Seeker, I won't let you down in your dreams for the Cup, but Head Boy? You're going to have to achieve that one all on your own. And never spit on my face again. It was rightly uncomfortable."

James grinned. "Righto. But I'm sure I can manage the Head Boy thing."

Izzy kissed him on the cheek, glad his James like arrogance was back. "I'm sure you will."

"Thanks Flynn, later."

"See ya, James."

"By the way, Sirius is out having a fag, looking all dark and mysterious if you want to go check it out. I think it's your duty as fake steady girlfriend, isn't it?"

"Why don't you?"

James looked vaguely uncomfortable. "Guys don't talk about feelings and stuff."

Izzy rolled her eyes and headed out into the corridor, barefoot. "Astronomy Tower!" James called after her.

Sirius was at the Astronomy Tower, questioning his feelings. He wanted Isabella Flynn. Badly. James had been right. But Sirius wasn't going to let on that he fancied her. James was a good guy and would be good to Evans. Sirius was a pureblood Black, and sooner or later would have to succumb to his nature. He knew it was coming. It was showing whenever he did stupid things to Snape that the others thought crossed the line. That cold apathetic cruelty. And when he finally embraced his true nature as would inevitably happen, he didn't want the girl he loved: a half blood, around to be hurt. She needed to be with someone safe and secure. Even Remus would be better than him, and Remus was a fucking werewolf for crying out loud!

"Sirius," the sweet innocent, all too familiar voice floated past him. It was as if he had conjured her up just by thinking about her. He couldn't escape the blue eyed brunette even if he wanted to.

He turned and blew a ring of smoke towards her which she dodged, coughing. "Hey."

"Tosser." She flung at him.

Sirius looked at the cigarette in his hand and put it out, knowing how much she hated them. "What are you doing here?"

"James told me you were here." She leant against the railing and overlooked the grounds, hair blowing in the slight breeze.

"Ah hell, you aren't wearing any shoes; you'll catch your death out here in this weather."

"Sorry mum," Izzy ducked her head, trying to hide a smile.

"Why did James send you?"

"Guess he figured, I'm your fake girlfriend. It's my job, now, right?"

"Unfortunately," Sirius mumbled, kicking the metal railing with a booted foot.

"Well I'm sorry! I could have let you get eaten by the big bad Marlene monster, but I thought I'd do you a favour. Didn't realise it was such a chore for you to spend time with me!" And with that, Izzy whirled on her bare heel, and rushed out of the room.

Sirius kicked the railing again. "Shit." Now he was on the outs with his fake steady girlfriend. Life sucked at the moment.


	5. Apologies and Sex Games

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Walkman's were invented in 1978, yet not marketed until 1979, I'm just doing a little tweaking by letting Izzy have one this chapter.**

**Apologies and Sex Games**

Izzy sat alone in the Great Hall. Normally never up until noon on the weekends, it was 8 a.m. She'd tossed and turned all night, feeling conflicted over what she'd agreed to do with Sirius. It was deception. Sure, deceiving Marlene, but all the same. And then the dark look he'd given her at the Astronomy Tower, blowing smoke at her, saying cruel things. What had that even meant? Unfortunate that he had to spend more time with her? All she was trying to do was help him out and apparently she was in the wrong.

Well, Izzy resolved. If he tries to apologise I'll stand my ground. It may be wrong, but I'm angry and I don't care. She pulled the paper towards her and skimmed the front page; more bad news. She flipped to the back section, hoping for an article on her favourite band; the Banshees of Bedlam.

* * *

><p>Sirius leant against the ornately decorated door of the Great Hall and sighed deeply. Oh Merlin. He stared in at where Izzy was sitting, legs tucked under her small frame, looking pretty haggard actually. Her hair was messy, like she hadn't brushed it, face pale, like she hadn't slept. Sirius ran his hands through his own ratty hair, and closed his eyes breathing deeply.<p>

He'd never done well with apologies. Ever. He was too proud for admitting he was wrong, and he had a feeling Izzy was the same. He took one step into the hall, whirled round on his heel and walked right back out again. "Come on Black," He whispered to himself. "You can do it. You're a stud. Go team."

Sirius pepped himself up enough, and walked into the hall, sitting down opposite Izzy. Not so bad. She didn't scream at him. She simply looked up, grabbed her plate, and slid another three metres down the table.

Sirius slid down to sit opposite her again. "I don't want to talk to you."

"I'd gathered that."

"Well then sod off."

"As much as you don't want to talk to me, I want to talk to you."

"We don't always get what we want."

"Izzy …."

"Yes, tosspot?"

Sirius got mad then. "Look, I'm trying to apologise here!"

"Nice try," Izzy mocked, standing up and walking off.

Sirius sighed, holding up his hands and letting them fall. He sighed. Grabbing Izzy's half-finished pancakes he shoved one in his mouth, trying to formulate another apology plan. Truthfully, Sirius would have let it go had he not so badly needed a fake girlfriend to ward off Marlene, and had he not found Izzy so infuriatingly annoying that it was kind of cute.

Izzy wandered up to the Gryffindor common room, and contemplated waking Lily up. Instead, she grabbed her grey coat, pulled it on over her floral dress, pulled on her grey laced up ankle boots, and headed down to the grounds for a walk. Go, couldn't this school have elevators or something? These stairs were killing her.

She settled herself by the lake, fiddling with the grass under the old oak tree. She decided to confide in the Giant Squid. "So, then he said, 'unfortunately' like he didn't want me talking to him or something. And we're having this dance next week and I assume I'm going with him, due to the whole fake dating fiasco."

"Really? Even fake dating me is a fiasco?"

"Ugh. You're like a boomerang. You just keep coming back."

"Who were you talking to?" Sirius persisted.

"The Great Squid. We were formulating a plan to have you drowned."

"Oh. Well, I'll just sit over here then." Sirius sat himself down a few metres away and up the hill.

"Can't you just go away?"

"I want to apologise."

"For what? Begging me to be your fake girlfriend and then acting like you didn't want me around? Or just in general being a douchebag?"

"The fake dating thing, but I can make it general if you want." Sirius winked.

"You're a tosser and you're never going to change. I've accepted that, you should to." Izzy sighed and pulled her Walkman out sticking her earphones on. All of a sudden Sirius was next to her, putting an earphone on with her.

"Queen, awesome." Izzy flicked songs spitefully. Sirius sighed. "That's cool, I like the Beatles too."

"Go away."

"I can't. I'm like a woman's menstrual cycle. I just keep coming back."

"Worse."

"Why?"

"Because I have to put up with you more than once a month."

Sirius groaned. "Not that I don't enjoy our witty banter …"

"Really? I'd call it me hating on you and you failing dismally at defending yourself."

"Dismally?" Sirius tried to keep his cool. "Word of the day."

"Fuck off."

"Technically that's two words, but I guess we could make it _words _of the day if you wanted."

"Go away. Do you never listen to me?"

"We're fighting because you think I don't enjoy your company right? Well you can't get rid of me, so clearly I like your company."

"No, we're fighting cause you're a complete and utter wanker."

"That too. I'm easy."

"I know."

"Hey, low blow."

"If only I could without getting detention."

Sirius protected his crotch with a hand. "Whoa. Too far."

"Will you go away now?"

"No."

"Damn."

"I have a proposition for you. As a massive apology, I'll take you to the stupid lame dance thing that Prongs and Lily have organised."

"Oh wow. Knock me over with a feather Sirius. You'll begrudgingly take me to 'the stupid lame dance thing.' Wait, just let me fall at your feet with gratitude."

"Please Izzy. I didn't mean it how it sounded, okay? I promise. Let me take you to the dance, and we can be friends again."

"Fine," Izzy sighed wearily.

"Yes!"

"I know you've only apologised so that you'll have someone to protect you from Marlene," Izzy said quietly as she pulled her Walkman gently away from him and started the hike up to the castle.

Sirius sat back on the ground with a thud. That girl was so infuriating! She was so ignorant that she was never going to understand! Grr.

Izzy put her earphones back on. _Help! I need somebody, Help! Not just anybody..._

* * *

><p>Izzy bounced on Lily's bed and lifted up a lock of her red hair to discover a drowsy eyed Lily glaring at her. "Hey sleepyhead."<p>

"What are you doing?"

"I couldnt sleep."

"I thought you had narcolepsy, but maybe it's insomnia."

"I have no such thing. Get up."

"Go away."

"I had a fight with Sirius last night and this morning he tried to apologise but I'm still mad and not sure if I have the right to be."

"Lover's spat. Do tell." Lily sat straight up in bed and Alice climbed over and under the covers.

We looked over at Mary, sprawled out on her bead, looking comatose and Alice sighed. "I'll fill her in later."

Izzy filled them in on the story and Lily was affronted, even more so than Izzy, "You always have the right to be mad, especially in this situation. Black's a dick."

Alice gasped. "Lily Evans swearing! What's next?"

Lily got out of bed, took charge and ignored the comment. "Ten o'clock. Corridors and kitchens should be empty. Get in your pyjamas, girls, who's up for a little rule bending?"

"Always," Alice grinned.

Izzy went along with it. It was their tradition whenever one of them was upset. They'd fill the massive bath up with pillows and blankets, steal goodies from down in the kitchens and spend the whole day engaging in girl talk, about boys, obviously.

Lily knocked on the door of the bathroom. "Marlene! Can you get out of the bathroom please? We need to use it."

"We?" Marlene questioned. Lily had attempted to be nice, but Marlene had the claws out. "Shower shag with Potter, hey?"

Lily glared. "No! How dare you? Get out!"

Marlene rolled her eyes. "Doesn't matter, I like the sixth years better than you anyway." And with that she was gone.

"Yeah, sixth year boys, the slag."

Marlene poked her head back around the door. "And no matter how many mean comments you make, I'll win in the end, Isabella Flynn." And then she was gone. Again.

"What's the prize?" Alice laughed.

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Apparently, Sirius."

Mary was finally awake and she poked her head over her covers. "Can totally imagine Sirius wrapped in a red ribbon with nothing else on."

Lily swatted Mary with a pillow. "We're mad at him, sleepy head."

"Oh."

"It's alright Mar, just because I hate him doesn't mean I can't admire him, right?"

"True that." Mary nodded. "You can admire the Pony's fine form, doesn't mean you have to ride him."

"Pony?" Lily asked.

"So naïve." Izzy shook her head.

Alice took pity on her. "Sirius gets so much ass he's the Hogwarts Pony. Or broomstick, if you're into the Quidditch sex metaphors."

Lily blocked her ears. "How I long for my innocence."

Alice grinned and led them all out of the dorm down through the common room, and straight to the kitchens. They tickled the pear, and headed straight in.

"Yum," Izzy sighed. "Taking comfort in food, this will forever by my heaven."

Alice laughed and shoved some chocolate into the pool Izzy had made with her sweatshirt. She'd changed into her dorkiest pyjamas as per Lily's instructions and all four of the pyjama clad girls had gotten quite a few stares on their way down.

When the girls had each collected a sizeable goodie pile in the pool of their tops, they headed out to the kitchen entrance. "Thanks!" They called to the house elves who had watched amusedly the entire time.

At the door they had an awkward encounter with the Marauders. Izzy blushed and Lily squeaked, nearly dropping her stock pile of junk food, trying to disguise the fact that she was in her pyjamas.

"Hey," James said confusedly.

"Why the pj's?"

"We're starting an I Hate Sirius Anti-Fan Club."

"Mary!" Izzy said reprovingly.

"What? We are aren't we?"

Izzy pushed them out the door and stopped beside Sirius and James. "We're having a girl's day and if the topic of how much we hate you comes up, I'm sure we'll have a lovely chat about it. Bye Black, James."

As the door swung shut, James laughed. "Burn!"

Sirius sighed, "I apologised and she agreed to go to the dance with me, but I guess she's still a little sore."

"You did pretty much say you didn't want to spend time with her," James said.

"Girls, man."

"You're a douche."

Izzy smiled as she caught up to her friends. A little sore? Yeah, you could say that.

The girls organised themselves and gathered in the bathroom, Izzy dove in first, settling herself under a crocheted blanket that her mother had sent her. Alice settled in beside her and Mary and Lily got in not long after.

They gorged themselves on chocolates and lollies, talking about nothing, when Alice held up her hand. "Alright. Hail the master, because I have come up with the ultimate Shag, Marry, Kill."

It had been the girls' game to fall back on whenever they got bored and wanted to poke fun at the boys in their year level. Alice looked at Izzy who was laughing and chatting, and deciding she could risk it. Izzy saw the look and read her mind.

"You can talk about Sirius. I'm mad, not suicidal. I won't cry or anything."

"Ok, Lily. This one's for you. Shag, marry, kill: James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black."

Lily dropped her head in her hands. "Can't we switch Potter for Peter?"

"Ew. No," Alice insisted.

"Fine."

"Go Lily flower!" Izzy and Mary cheered mockingly.

"Kill Sirius obviously."

"Obviously. God knows what STD you'd pick up from shagging him."

"And marrying him would be like agreeing to endless torture," Izzy added laughingly.

Lily sighed. "And I'd marry Remus."

"No way." Alice's jaw dropped.

"Well, obviously," Izzy reasoned. "He's the only one you could live with for a solid block of time."

"Say it," Mary ordered. "I want to hear you say it."

Lily cringed. "Is that really necessary?"

"Yes!" Izzy yelled excitedly.

"And I guess, if I had to, which I won't because this is hypothetical, that I would, under pain of death or worse … shag Potter. But only because he plays Quidditch and must have a great body."

"I cannot believe it!"

"No way! As if!"

"I just heard Lily Evan say that she'd shag James Potter!"

"Ever heard of hate sex?" Lily said defensively.

Izzy blocked her ears. "How I long for my innocence." She mocked.

Lily swatted at her with a pillow. "You do it!"

Izzy laughed unashamedly. "As much as I'd hate to, I'd kill Remus, marry James and have hot sex with Sirius Fucking Black."

Alice and Mary cheered.

**Reviews please my lovely little readers!**


	6. Forest Hikes and Dancing

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: I hope y'all are enjoying this! Let me know and drop me a review!**

**Forest Hikes and Dancing**

"So what is this dance thing that you've organised?" Alice asked as she blew a bubble with her gum.

Lily sighed. "Potter said that he wanted to foster unity between the Houses, and he thought a dance was a good way to do that. So, I agreed, and here we are."

"You are going to have to call him by his first name on your date," Mary pointed out.

"It's not a date," Lily griped.

Izzy laughed as she lounged on her bed, formal dresses strewn everywhere as the girls attempted to find something to wear. "To me? It sounds like a fancy of way of saying, 'Evans, please let me get in your pants.'"

Alice laughed as Lily coloured, sifting through everyone's trunks for clothes. "It's official." Lily announced. "We have nothing to wear and the dance is tonight. Thanks God it's a Hogsmeade weekend."

The girls trooped downstairs and saw the Marauders sitting by the fire. "Hey boyfriend," Izzy mocked, sitting on the edge of Sirius' armchair. Izzy had given up her anger with Sirius, because it was a lot of effort, and he'd been amazingly charming, somehow managing to smuggle in a jar of Nutella, a Muggle chocolate spread that she was in love with.

"Hi," he croaked tiredly.

"Why do you two have … leaves in your hair?"

"Um, we just got back from a spot of hiking in the woods."

"Nice try Jamesie." Izzy rolled her eyes. "No one hikes in the Forbidden Forest. Never mind. It's not my business if you and Sirius wanted to have a passionate love-making sesh out in the woods. Oh wait! As fake girlfriend, I think it is!"

Sirius chuckled. "I give up, I'm a cheating whore."

"I knew it."

"Where's Remus?" Lily asked.

"Hospital Wing." Sirius said simply. "He's ill."

"Tell him to get better," Lily said worriedly.

"We will."

Izzy grabbed the girls. "We're off to shop in Hogsmeade for the dance. Bye Boyfriend!" She called cheerily.

"You love that." Alice commented.

"Love what?"

"That you can call Sirius your boyfriend in public."

"Do not."

"Why not admit that you fancy him?"

"Because I'm apparently the most virginal prude in the entire school and he would never fancy me back."

"Aw." Marry hugged Izzy with one arm. "We love you Iz. It doesn't matter what anyone says about you. If Black believes them then he's a tosser."

"I know he's a tosser," Izzy said laughingly. "That's not the problem. The problem is that he's a goddamn sexy tosser."

"Amen to that." Alice said. "But don't worry. No competition from me."

"Why?" Izzy said slyly. "Who do you fancy?"

"It doesn't matter because he didn't ask me to the dance and if he asks me now I'll know I'm last choice."

"It's Frank Longbottom, isn't it?"

"How do you know that, Iz?"

"She has superpowers," Lily said simply.

Izzy hugged Mary back. "And I know that Mary is comforting me to comfort herself, because she's upset that Remus is in The Hospital Wing and won't be able to come tonight."

Mary blushed. Lily brushed her fringe off her face. "It's alright Mar. We'll take him some chocolate after we get our dresses."

As they left, Izzy grinned. "The good thing about a fake boyfriend? You have pre-booked arm candy for this sort of thing."

Lily laughed. "Trust you, Iz."

"It's the truth."

They scoured Hogsmeade, and found only the dingy thrift store in one of the back streets. They filed in, the little bell dinging, and Izzy pulled a camera out her pocket. "This is not just a mission girlies, this is some fun!"

They dressed up in the most ridiculous outfits and posed for the camera, Izzy in a feather boa, Mary in a top hat, Alice in a tuxedo, Lily wearing a white wedding dress. Izzy wanted to remember this day forever, and she was planning on sticking the pictures up all over the dormitory, the moving film making it even more awesome. The shop assistant smiled at their antics and after an hour and a half, they finally properly decided on dresses. Izzy brought an outrageous bright yellow bubble dress that looked amazing on her according to Alice.

"Eat your heart out, Marlene," she declared evilly.

"Come on," Lily said. "She isn't that bad."

"I guess we'll agree to disagree," Izzy winked at Alice.

Alice picked a white dress with gold beading and Izzy grinned. "Frank will love you in that."

Lily picked out an emerald green strapless sheath satin dress. "Ravishing," Izzy declared. "If James doesn't weep tears of utter happiness at the sight of you, dump him."

Mary chose a lilac vintage dress, knee length, and Izzy grinned. "Remus will love it."

"He won't be there."

"Well, you'll just have to go up and have a hot Get Better Make Out Session afterwards, won't you?"

Mary blushed.

Izzy laughed. "Or do you reserve make out sessions for me? Aren't you tired of the girl on girl Sirius ruse? Ask Remus out! This is the seventies, babe!"

Mary ducked her head and changed quickly. "I'll buy this, some chocolate at Honeydukes, and then we'll go visit Remus, is that alright?"

"Sure thing."

They entered the Hospital Wing, and all four girls were shocked at the sight of Remus Lupin. His face was scratched, hair bedraggled, pale grey complexion, one arm in a sling. "Oh my god!" Mary forgot all her embarrassment and rushed forward. "Are you okay?"

Remus winced as he smiled. "I'm fine. How are you girls?"

"We're good." Izzy spoke for all of them.

"We bought you this," Mary grinned and poured the bag of chocolate on to the bed.

"You're the best," Remus smiled at Mary who sat on the end of the bed. Izzy, Alice and Lily stood away from the bed as Mary spoke to Remus, looking animated and happy. Izzy gave them a mission when Mary began to say her goodbyes. "Get her out of here; I have to talk to Remus."

"Aye aye, captain," Lily said.

"Technically she's vice," Alice mocked.

"Low blow."

"What do you say you said to Sirius? 'If only I could without getting detention!' Classic."

Izzy laughed and pushed them towards Mary. "Battle stations are a-go."

Lily and Alice took Mary away and Izzy crossed her legs at the end of Remus' bed. Remus looked at her as the other girls left. "Yes Izzy?"

"So you've heard about the dance tonight?"

"Yes I have."

"Well, are you coming?"

Remus gestured to his arm and bandaged leg. "I'd say Madam Pomfrey won't let me," he looked disappointed.

"In strictest confidence, because you're the nicest guy our age and I know you like her too, Mary is really disappointed that you can't come."

Remus smiled widely. "Really? She likes me?"

"Do you like her?"

"Yeah," he admitted shyly.

"Well, we'll just have to sneak you out of here for the dance, won't we?

They formulated their plan and Izzy stood with, "Alright, I'll come get you at 7:30."

"Ok," Remus grinned.

Izzy leant over and touched the scratches on his face. "You're not ill like James said, you're injured. What happened?"

"I fell." He looked down.

Izzy pushed her hair off her face and furrowed her brow. She didn't know why, but Remus was hiding something. "That's a lie and I know it." Remus ducked his head as Izzy left. "I won't press you, but I know you didn't fall."

Izzy had wanted her dance night to go all fairy tale like. She'd wanted to gracefully descend the stairs, have Sirius end up speechless at the sight of her, dance the night away and get a kiss at midnight just like a princess.

It didn't exactly turn out like that.

Izzy lost a heel, and the girls headed downstairs without her because the dance started at seven and at seven fifteen Izzy unearthed her heel from under her bed and realised she still hadn't done her make up or her hair. Rushing into the bathroom, she brushed a light powder over her face, and tousled her hair gently, spraying some glittery hair spray in her hair and nearly stabbing herself with a mascara brush.

She ran and tripped down the stairs, tumbling into the common room where Sirius was lounging against the portrait hole, fiddling with a cigarette. His shirt was ruffled, jacket slung over the nearest armchair, suit pants creased, tie loose and crooked.

"You can't smoke that in here!"

Sirius ignored her. "Ooh, the virgin cleans up nice. Sexy, babe."

"Sorry I'm late," Izzy sighed, wishing Sirius had called her beautiful or something other than 'sexy.' But anyway, that was just Sirius and she should get used to it. As fake steady girlfriend that was what she had to put up with.

"Hah. Virgin. Late. Irony. Amused."

"Full sentences please, boyfriend."

"Yes ma'am."

They entered the Great Hall arm in arm, and Sirius tugged at the material of her yellow dress. "Did I mention how hot you look?"

"I believe you did."

"Broom closet shag?"

"In your sexy yellow bubble dress dreams!" Izzy poked her tongue out and dragged him to the bench where finger food and punch bowls were sitting.

"Easy there tiger," Sirius warned. "I had James spike it earlier."

"You just can't have some good old fashioned family fun, can you?"

"Nope. That's not what the Shagster's known for!"

"Shagster?"

"Virgin?"

"Shut up."

"Dance with me?"

"If you're quiet."

"Yes ma'am."

Izzy skulled the rest of the spiked punch and grinned dizzily. She was going to need it to deal with 'the Shagster.'

At seven thirty when Izzy glanced at the clock, she pulled her hands gently from Sirius' where they had been dancing (he was surprisingly good) and gasped. "I've got to go, um, do something. I'll be back in five minutes!"

Sirius shrugged his shoulders casually. "Later!" he called to her retreating back He sighed. She'd been so indifferent today. Maybe he shouldn't even bother anymore. He sighed, catching sight of a sexily dressed Marlene across the room. (Sirius says sexy, the entire female population says slutty.) She waved and Sirius grinned at her.

Izzy, completely unawares, had taken off her heels and was racing up the stairs to the Hospital Wing. She stopped just short of stepping straight off into oblivion and huffed. "Bloody moving staircases!"

When Izzy slid into the room on her bare feet, Remus chuckled. "Hey."

Izzy looked up and saw Remus dressed up in a suit. "I thought …"

"I told Madam Pomfrey my sob story and she was all too willing to help me out." He chuckled as Madam Pomfrey waved through the window in her office.

Izzy laughed and hit him gently on his uninjured arm. "You're a charmer, Remus Lupin."

Remus blushed as Izzy helped him up and they hobbled to the door.

When they entered the Great Hall, Izzy deposited him in front of the table where Mary was sitting and dragged Alice and Lily away.

"You look amazing," Remus said quietly.

"I thought you couldn't come."

"I had to. Izzy told me what your dress looked like."

Mary blushed deeply and looked over to where Alice and Lily were clutching onto Izzy, the three of them staring over at the cute moment, sappy romantic looks on their faces.

"Aw." Izzy sighed. "Too cute."

Lily, Izzy and Alice ran over to the band. Izzy whispered in their ear and they struck up a slow sweet number. They sat down by the dance floor and continued to invade Mary's privacy by staring over like stalkers.

Remus held out a hand. "I'm not too injured to dance, if you want to, that is."

"Of course."

Mary took his hand and they slowly revolved on the spot, Mary resting her head on his shoulder, Remus' hands at her waist, always the gentleman. Mary looked over at Izzy when she could. "Oh my god," she mouthed, a wide goofy grin involuntarily spreading across her face.

Izzy clutched Alice and Lily's hands. "That's adorable," She sighed regretfully. "But I better go find the fake boyfriend."

Alice smiled understandingly. "I think he went that way," She pointed to the gardens off the hall.

Before she left Izzy grinned. "Great party Lil. Where's James?"

"Too nervous to talk to me." Lily rolled her eyes. "I think he's talking Quidditch with Alice's date."

"Actual Quidditch? Not sex Quidditch metaphors? 'Cause you might want to get over there."

"Ha ha," Lily sourly responded, gently kicking Izzy's shin, which reminded Izzy to put her shoes back on rather than have them in her hands which was unseemly and unladylike. Not that she cared.

"Who's your date?" Izzy asked Alice.

She shrugged. "Some Ravenclaw."

"This is about fostering unity," Izzy mocked. "Shouldn't you know your date's name?"

"All I know is that his name isn't Frank," Alice sighed, and put some Droobles gum in her mouth.

"Aw, sweetie. Don't worry. Iz the Matchmaker is a little busy trying to find her fake boyfriend right now, but when she's done she promises to help Alice out."

Alice smiled unwillingly. "And she also refers to herself in the third person."

"Sirius taught me," Izzy said as she daintily floated away through a crowd of people.

Alice sighed. "I can hardly keep up with that girl."

"She's a whirlwind." Lily agreed.

"With mood swing emotions for Sirius Black," Alice added.

**Reviews my lovies?**


	7. Ninjas and Casual Sex Partners

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: I go back to school tomorrow, so updates will slow down, but they'll keep coming, never fear dear ones!**

**Ninjas and Casual Sex Partners**

Izzy tentatively stepped out into the dark garden and followed the path around to the left where the light dimmed. She tapped her metallic grey clutch against her leg as she walked. "Sirius," she called, stepping past a couple that passionately embroiled in a make out session.

"Awkward," she muttered to herself.

She slid around the corner and followed the path, laughing to herself, she hadn't even know this cute little garden was here. It looked like a couples rendezvous point and Izzy wondered why Sirius had come out here. Maybe just for a fag, she thought. Wildly, through the three glasses of punch she wondered if she should kiss him when she found him. After all, this did seem to be the make out hot spot. And, let's not forget, she was a little tipsy.

She stepped between two hedges, her grey heels nearly sinking into the grass. At the end of the path, lit by small fairy lamps, another couple were making out. A girl with blonde hair and a boy with long black hair were passionately embracing. Izzy got closer and stared, not caring if people thought she was weird. "Sirius!" She gasped. Her grey clutch dropped out of her hands and split open, her mascara rolling under a bush, hair pins scattering everywhere. She knelt; her shoes falling off, gathering everything and shoving it back in haphazardly.

Sirius did some serious ninja moves to slide back as far away from Marlene as possible. "Izzy!" He nervously laughed

"The fuck?" Izzy asked, looking at Marlene as she stood and clutched her high heels in one hand.

"I was teaching her the meaning of 'casual'," Sirius tried weakly.

"Yeah," Marlene said importantly, sneering at Izzy. "We're going to be casual sex partners."

"I think the expression is fuck buddies," Izzy said emotionlessly.

Sirius stood. "Izzy …"

"That's cool," She said calmly. "I guess my services as fake girlfriend are no longer required."

"Wait …"

Izzy smiled with difficulty. "It's cool, thanks, Sirius." She walked away slowly, feeling winded. She wondered why she cared so much if they had only been 'fake' dating. 'Casual sex partners?' Well, Izzy guessed that, as queen virgin, she never would have been given a second thought. Then she wondered, why did she want to? Ugh, why did Sirius Black make her head spin around and around? How did he even have the power to make her so insane?

When she stepped back into the hall, even though she was barefoot, no one looked at her and gasped. No one laughed and pointed. No one knew. No one could tell. Yet, Izzy felt as if the world had wobbled off its axis in those few minutes. Because it hadn't been that long. Alice and Lily waved at her from their table, they hadn't even noticed that she was gone, and she went over, putting on a smile.

"Did you find him?" Alice asked distractedly, eating peanuts and staring over at Frank, who was now sitting with James and her date, all intensely discussing Quidditch.

"Yeah," Izzy said darkly. "With Marlene. Iz the Matchmaker is now free to help you out."

"With Marlene?" Lily asked.

"Yeah."

"Sirius Black is a tosser," Alice shouted loudly, throwing a peanut on to the dance floor, just as the tosser himself stepped through the door, looking bedraggled, Marlene hanging off his arm. He stared at Alice. "You heard me!" She shouted, flipping him off. "Tosser!"

Sirius sarcastically saluted Alice as Izzy grabbed her and covered her mouth, whispering in her ear, "You had way too much of that punch, didn't you?"

"It's so nice," Lily said dreamily.

"It's spiked," Izzy explained.

Lily grinned. "Cool, let's have some more and then ask the band to play the Beatles."

"Lily Evans, reformed good girl." Alice squealed. "Let's get bad."

"Deal."

The three girls jumped up and ran over hectically to the punch bowl, shoes discarded by the table. Professor Flitwick, the chaperone by the door watched the dance disintegrate into a raucous teen mess, looking conflicted over whether to stop it or not.

Izzy, Alice and Lily shared out the contents of one punch bowl between them. They drank quickly and yelled at the band, "The Beatles! We know you're wizards but give us some good old fashioned Muggle rock! The Beatles!"

The band obliged, striking up 'All My Loving,' with a vengeance. That seemed to make up Flitwick's mind. He did a little jig by the door, content to let the raucous goings on continue as long as the Beatles were playing.

The girls skipped past the boy's Quidditch table. "Hey!" Lily shouted. "Jamesie! I think you're cute but you sucked as a date! Quidditch sex metaphors or not!"

Izzy laughed as James frowned. "You're the one who spiked the punch Jamesie; don't blame us if we get a little crazy because of it!"

James sighed. "That was Sirius' idea!"

"Don't talk about Sirius to me," Izzy frowned. "He's a tosspot."

"That is the general consensus," James admitted.

Izzy nodded. "Ooh! Revolution! Good song!"

And off she went, dancing arm in arm with her two best friends, Mary sitting with Remus in the corner, looking all cosy.

"Boys suck," Alice said determinedly, staring at the Quidditch debate table, twenty or so guys sitting around it.

"This dance sucks, no offence Lily."

"None taken," Lily said, murderously glaring over at the Quidditch table. The girls were either dancing or sitting at tables looking bored, while most boys were standing in huddles, or at the James table, yelling about Quidditch.

Alice sighed. "We need to have more of these things. These boys have no idea how to handle women. We need to teach them that essential lesson before we send them out into the big bad and scary world."

"Some boys know how to handle women," Izzy glared over at Sirius and Marlene.

Lily took the two girls' hands. "Come on. Next dance can be boy central. This time, we're having fun."

Alice grinned. "Maybe it's the punch talking, but I have a brill idea!"

"Do tell."

Alice dragged the teenagers up on to the stage. She tapped the shaggy haired lead singer and guitarist on the shoulder. "Hello sir."

"Hey," He nodded, looking a tad confused as he stopped playing. Like, why were these chicks interrupting his jam?

Alice grinned. "We were wondering … could we steal your position as lead singer for one song?"

"Ooo-kaay." He said hesitantly. "Which song?"

"We were hoping for maybe 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love.'"

"Totally man," The singer grinned. "Wicked cool."

Lily backed away. "Have fun Al, Iz. I'm out."

"No, come on!"

"Please Lil!"

"No way." Lily nimbly jumped off the stage and stood at the corner, looking up expectantly.

Izzy and Alice shrugged. "We're so going to regret this tomorrow!"

"Live today! Regret tomorrow!" Izzy yelled excitedly, grabbing the microphone off its stand as the band played the introduction to the song.

Alice laughed. "None of these pure bloods are going to know what's going on!"

"You're a pure blood," Izzy laughed.

"Yeah, but I've got cool Muggles and half bloods for friends."

"Aw, thanks Allie."

Alice grinned and the two girls began to sing the opening verse. They weren't that great, but they were totally into it and having fun. Their singing was occasionally broken up by giggles, and Professor Flitwick looked conflicted as to whether he should laugh or send them off the stage. From the way he was tapping his foot, Izzy guessed they could finish out the song.

_This thing called love I just can't handle it  
>This thing called love I must get round to it<br>I ain't ready  
>Crazy little thing called love<em>

Izzy sang in a deep voice and Alice clapped her hands above her head. "Come on everybody!" A crowd had gathered around the stage, and Mary and Remus were standing near Lily, pissing themselves.

_This thing (this thing) called love (called love)_  
><em>It cries (like a baby)<em>  
><em>In a cradle all night<em>  
><em>It swings (woo woo)<em>  
><em>It jives (woo woo)<em>  
><em>It shakes all over like a jelly fish<em>  
><em>I kinda like it<em>  
><em>Crazy little thing called love<em>

_There goes my baby_  
><em>She knows how to Rock'n'Roll<em>  
><em>She drives me crazy<em>  
><em>She gives me hot and cold fever<em>  
><em>Then she leaves me in a cool cool sweat<em>

_I gotta be cool, relax, get hip!_  
><em>Get on my tracks<em>  
><em>Take a back seat<em>  
><em>Hitch hike<em>  
><em>And take a long ride on my motor bike<em>  
><em>Until I'm ready<em>  
><em>Crazy little thing called love<em>

_I gotta be cool, relax, get hip!_  
><em>Get on my tracks<em>  
><em>Take a back seat<em>  
><em>Hitch hike<em>  
><em>And take a long ride on my motor bike<em>  
><em>Until I'm ready (ready Freddie)<em>  
><em>Crazy little thing called love<em>

Izzy twirled around and squealed. "You ready Freddie?"

_This thing called love I just can't handle it_  
><em>This thing called love I must get round to it<em>  
><em>I ain't ready<em>  
><em>Crazy little thing called love<em>

Alice and Izzy joined hands and bowed, daintily jumping off the stage. Remus came over, raised eyebrows, grinning. "You had a bit too much of the spiked punch, didn't you?"

"Damn straight," Alice laughed.

Remus sighed. "You're going to regret that tomorrow."

"Stop being a drag Reeeeeeee-mus," Izzy sighed.

James came over and grinned. "Nice work Izzy."

"Your face is nice work."

"Uncalled for."

"Was it?"

"Ouch. The little one bites."

"Yeah, Four Eyes, play the 'little' card. I haven't heard that one before!"

James looked at Remus. "I had that punch and I am not that whacked. And seriously, Four Eyes? Where did you get your insult material? Kindergarten?"

Remus sighed and turned. "Peter!"

Peter joined the group huddled by the stage. "Yeah?"

"We need help getting them to bed."

Izzy grinned. "Don't worry Peter, I would never shag you in a million years. I think what James means is that it's time for sleepytime and jammies."

"Sleepytime and jammies?"

"Shut up James. I was just trying to explain that Peter didn't have to sleep with any of us."

"Pretty sure he knew that, love."

"Well, I'm sure he didn't."

"Time for bed." Remus clapped his hands and checked his watch. "1 a.m. Girls, grab your shoes and us guys will escort you back to the tower."

Remus tucked Mary under his arm and the three tipsy girls sighed. "Aw. I want a Remus."

Mary poked her tongue out. "Ha ha."

James lifted up his hands and they were full of high heels. "I have the death traps. Let's move."

Izzy laughed as the three boys herded them out of the hall. "Who would've thought that the Marauders minus one douchebag are the voice of reason in a situation involving alcohol and girls?"

James grinned smugly. "We are brilliant."

Izzy scoffed. The band began playing again and Alice tried to make a break for it. "This is my jam!" She pleaded.

"Really?" James looked disapproving. "Who's it by?"

"You know, the guy with the hair."

James sighed wearily. "Come on Blondie."

Alice touched her hair. "I'm not blonde."

James pushed Izzy and Alice forwards up the stairs. "Let's go girlies. Enough chat, more walkies."

"Walkies?"

"Shut up Izzy, you call bed sleepytime, how lame is that?"

"I think we can call it even."

"Owned," James bumped fistes with Peter.

Izzy scoffed. "That was not ownage."

"Children please," Remus held up his hands. "Let's play the silent game until we get to the common room."

"I'm totally going to win," Alice announced.

"You just lost," James laughed.

"Did not."

"Did too."

Peter hit James on the shoulder. "Don't engage in an argument with the drunk girl, Prongs."

"Why not?"

Remus sighed again and Mary laughed at his fatherly antics. "Okay, round two of the Silent Game. _Silent _being the operative word in that sentence. Ready set go."

Izzy mimed sipping her lips and throwing away the key. "Lame" James commented, then he clapped his hands over his mouth.

"You lost!" Izzy cheered.

Peter chuckled as Alice observed, "Maybe you're tipsier than you thought, Potter? Or you're just really thick."

Lily giggled. "I'll go with the second option."

"Wounded," James and Peter cried out.

Lily shrugged. "You sucked as a date. I could almost convince myself you weren't an arrogant toe-rag and then I actually agreed to go out with you. Big mistake."

"Burn!" Izzy mocked.

James glared murderously. "Shush, Is-A-Bella!" He pronounced her name in three distinct syllables. "Watch your tone with your almighty captain."

"Of what?" Izzy rolled her eyes. "Loserdom?"

"I'll give Sirius vice," James threatened.

"You can't do that!" Izzy cried. "You wouldn't!"

"Watch me you insubordinate wretch!" James mocked, grabbing her in a headlock and messing her hair.

Remus sighed as they reached the portrait hole. "Great Silent Game guys," he said sarcastically. "Loved it."

Izzy curtsied. "Thanks for the whole escorting gig, boys." She added cheerily.

Peter smiled and James looked all serious. "Drink some water, and get some sleep or you'll feel like hell tomorrow."

"We know Jamesie Boy, we've had alcohol before." Alice said, affronted.

"Could've fooled me," James countered.

"Mean," Izzy commented.

"Especially you, Izzy," James called. "We have practise tomorrow!"

Izzy grumbled as she crawled through the portrait hole. "Lame, Hitler, tyrannical bastardly tosspot," she cursed under her breath.

"I heard that!" James called knowingly as the portrait door swung shut.

"Damn." Izzy closed her eyes. "That's worth push ups tomorrow."

…**Reviews, my lovelies! Don't forget'em! :)**


	8. Fake Marriage and Ten Galleons

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Hey guys and gals! Check out my Baking Cakes story about Izzy and Sirius. Another fluffy one shot that I hope you enjoy! Aaaaaand also, **_**another**_** Sirius/Izzy one-shot called Flying Motorbikes! Enjoy!**

**Fake Marriage and Ten Galleons**

Izzy woke up slowly, still in her yellow bubble dress, trapped under Alice's arm, which was thrown over her. "What is with this sharing of beds nonsense?" Izzy sighed, pulling her face from the stiletto that she had been using as a pillow. She surveyed the room from where she was lying.

Lily, Alice and Izzy were all curled up on one bed, still in their dresses, three different blankets curled up in a mess in the middle of the bed. Izzy sighed, uncomfortable. The four poster was big, but not that big. Mary was asleep in her pyjamas, hair neat, looking peaceful, in her own bed, covers neatly atop her.

Izzy sat up and promptly decided that was a bad idea. "Ow," she whimpered. She touched the top of her head, feeling her hair sitting on top of it like a bird's nest, matted and frizzy. When she stood, throwing Alice's arm off her, she swayed, dizzy. "Oh God."

Making a quick trip to the bathroom, Izzy washed her face, looking at her grey complexion in the mirror and sighing. Recalling snippets of the previous night, singing, dancing, that God-awful red punch that she could still smell on her dress; she felt her stomach heave and retched into the toilet bowl. She closed the door with her foot but met resistance by way of Lily, who looked a shade of green, clashing with her messy red hair. "Uh-uh," Lily protested, beginning to rummage around in the cupboards, the noise making both girls wince. "Aspirin, dear God, please let there be aspirin."

Izzy leant away from the toilet and sat, leaning her head against the cool wall tiles.

"That was such a bad idea."

"Fun at the time," Lily reasoned.

"Yeah, the parts I can remember."

"Good morning girlies!" Mary appeared at the door, and even the swishing of her nightgown made Izzy's head pound.

"Don't talk so loud," Izzy begged.

"Come, let's get you some breakfast."

"Why? I'm going to spew," Lily said.

"Pancakes are a hangover cure."

"You know what else is a hangover cure? Aspirin." Izzy stated. "Get me aspirin Mar, or I'll do some nasty things to Remus."

Mary backed away. "The little one's grumpy."

"Don't start with me."

Lily left the bathroom and Izzy shut the door gently, turning on the faucet and letting the cool water run over her. When she got out, she didn't use a charm to dry her hair, but let the cool strands hang limply over her back and neck, relieving the ache a tiny bit. Izzy glared at the yellow bubble dress as she shoved it in the hamper. "Stupid dress. All your fault."

She emerged in a towel and grabbed her grey drawstring yoga pants and her Banshees of Bedlam tee, sighing as she leant over to pull on her slippers. Alice rolled over. "It was bad last night, wasn't it?"

"I do remember Queen karaoke."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Izzy winced.

"I remember getting my groove on with Flitwick."

"He is a nifty little dancer, hey?"

Alice sighed. "Where's Mary the Good Girl?"

"Downstairs. She's waiting for us so she can force feed us pancakes and torture us with sunlight."

"No," Alice moaned. "I'm officially a vampire."

"She has aspirin," Izzy wheedled.

Alice stood quickly, swaying on the spot. "Bad idea."

"How do you think I feel? I have Quidditch practise today?"

"Good luck with the tyrannical bastard."

Izzy sighed as Alice entered the bathroom, and began her perilous journey downstairs. She flopped into an armchair, and James popped up beside her. "Hey Iz."

"I'm really not in the modd today James."

"Hungover much?"

"No shit Sherlock."

"Ah well. Don't forget we have Quidditch practise later."

"You know, this is all your fault? You're the one who spiked the punch."

James growled, frustrated. "It was Sirius' idea!"

"I don't care."

"Besides, you, Alice and Lily were the only ones to go totally crazy. I caught you and Lily under the table skulling an entire bowl of it!"

"Classy." Izzy commented of herself.

James chortled. "You didn't even have a cup. Straight off the ladle."

"That explains the headache."

Sirius leapt down the stairs, oddly cheerful. "Who's got a headache?"

"Fuck off Black."

Sirius seemed as if he were going to pretend the Marlene fiasco hadn't happened. "Good hangover cure? Pancakes."

"You know another good hangover cure? Punching you in the face."

"Izzy," Sirius said. "I'm sorry. We were only fake-dating anyway! I guess I could have broken it to you a little more gently, but it's not like I was actually cheating!"

Izzy stood. "Please don't talk to me. This hang over is all your fault anyway."

"But Iz," Sirius held out a hand to stop her from walking away.

"Seriously, Sirius, just go away." Izzy sighed. "If you think that there's nothing wrong with what you did last night, then you are more fucked up than I thought you were."

Izzy wearily climbed out of the portrait hole and Mary stood, awkwardly nodding to the boys before following her. "That was awkward." James observed.

Sirius sighed. Izzy was partly right. He knew her was fucked up, but he did know what he'd done was wrong, he just wasn't sure if he should fix it. He'd never felt this way about a girl before. But if say, Regulus, his weaselly little brother, got a hold of the fact that he was dating a half blood, the Black family would freak and Izzy would be in trouble too. And Sirius wouldn't risk that of the person whom he could love, if his family wasn't so screwed up.

* * *

><p>As they walked down to breakfast, Mary rubbed Izzy's back. "It's okay, Iz. He's a tosser."<p>

"I know." Izzy smiled bravely. "Let's just forget about him."

"Good plan."

"Where's that aspirin, you slag?"

"Right here," Mary produced it from her pocket and Izzy sighed with relief, dry swallowing them.

"Thanks." And Mary knew Izzy wasn't just talking about the aspirin.

Mary looped her arm through Izzy's. "So, you set up the Remus thing last night?"

"That was me," Izzy admitted, half proud, half scared.

"I'm not sure whether I should kill you or thank you."

"Kill me, please." Izzy begged. "At least this pounding headache will be gone."

"Nah." Mary laughed.

"Sadist."

"Nutter."

"Slag."

Mary stopped their verbal battle. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you, because I really like Remus, and I asked him out last night after we'd got you tipsy skanks up to bed."

Izzy laughed. "And he said?"

"Yes." Marry tried to contain her excitement but squealed. "Next Hogsmeade weekend! I'm so excited but have no idea what I'm going to wear!"

"Never fear, now that my fake dating duties are obsolete, I'll have plenty of time to help you choose an outfit."

"Yay." Mary said as they entered the Hall.

They sat at the end of the table, and Mary pushed a plate of pancakes towards Izzy. "No. I'll spew."

"Maybe you'll get out of Tubbington's class tomorrow."

"I've heard he's planning something wild."

James, Alice, Lily, Remus and Peter something. "Wild in Muggle studies class? That's new." James commented.

"Yeah well," Izzy said. "That's another class I have with Sirius. Yayface."

James chuckled. "Yayface. You loser."

"You're the captain of loserdom, oh master."

"Hm, one thing you remember from last night, eh? Quidditch practise is cancelled for today by the way." And with that he walked out , whistling cheerily.

"I love you captain!" Izzy yelled after him, her own loud voice making her wince.

"Sh!" Alice and Lily reprimanded her, eyes closed and heads on the table.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Izzy slid into her seat at the back of the classroom, and prayed that Sirius wouldn't be there. No such luck.<p>

"Hey babe," he whispered, sliding into the seat beside her.

Izzy rolled her eyes, but figured she may as well talk to him. "What's up, you tosser?"

Sirius clutched at his heart. "Wounded."

"I hope it's fatal."

"Cruel words, Isabella."

"But oh-so-true."

"Alright children!" Professor Tubbington clapped his hands. "It's time to pack those bags and turn in your wands for the three weeks of a lifetime!"

"The fuck?" Sirius said in an undertone.

"That's right!" Professor Tubbington answered the confused looks of the students. "We are going to experience a real Muggle life for the next three weeks. No wands, no Apparition, no Quidditch, nothing. You won't even be at Hogwarts! It's like a camp!"

"Oh fuck no," Izzy whispered. "No Quidditch?"

Tubbington grinned. "Now, seeing as you're only seventeen, we aren't sending you out in the big bad world by yourself, we're going to experience how Muggles deal with marriage also! You will be paired off into couples, given a map of London, an apartment to stay in, a job, and you must live with your spouse for the next three weeks! Teachers will come and check in on you every so often to grade you, but you'll be on your own. This is not only a Muggle Studies assignment, but an assignment about _life_!"

"I never realised what a crackpot this guy was," Sirius whispered and Izzy let out an involuntary giggle.

Tubbington smiled genially at the bunch. "So children, turn to your seat partner and starting getting to know your husband or wife!"

Izzy turned towards Sirius, and suddenly it didn't seem so funny anymore. "Right," Izzy said, throwing her hands in the air. "This isn't fair!"

"We already fake dated," Sirius said desperately. "Do we seriously have to be fake married?"

Izzy looked horrified. Tubbington cut through the chatter. "Of course it's all above board children. Separate bedrooms and the like!" He winked.

"I hate that guy."

"I hate your face." Izzy said. "Three weeks with you and _just_ you. No offence but …"

"None taken, I might just hang myself too."

"Good to know."

Tubbington again stopped them all from talking. "Marlene, are you on your own dearie?"

Marlene nodded. "Uh-yeah."

Izzy nudged Sirius as if to say, 'go, you tosspot.' Instead, Tubbington grinned. "Not to worry, there's another odd one out on their way over from the other MS class right now."

And with that, James walked in the door. Seeing his partner, his head dropped. "Damn."

Sirius jumped up at Izzy's urging. Izzy thought she could live with James, but Sirius? She might just be sent to Azkaban for cruel and bloody murder. "I'll swap with James," He offered hopefully.

"Nonsense Mr Black, let's not make this harder than it is," Tubbington refused. The bell rang out through the halls and as everyone packed up, Tubbington yelled. "There will be a brief meeting in your respective common rooms at 5 p.m. today where your Heads of House will give you the information needed."

Izzy sighed as she, James and Sirius left the classroom. James fake cried into Izzy's shoulder. "Not Marlene the Monster," he mock-sobbed. "I'll kill myself." The he straightened. "though I guess you two have it worse." He whistled. "Awkward to the max."

"Thanks Jamesie."

"Shut up Prongs," Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Ten Galleons you don't make it through the week without McGonagall being called to break up a violent fight between the two of you."

"Deal." Sirius didn't hesitate in shaking James' hand.

Izzy laughed, "I want in on this too." She and James shook on it and as they walked away, Sirius turned.

"Let's make it clear. If we win, ten Galleons to each of us. If you win, we'll pay you ten galleons." Sirius drove a hard bargain.

"Each?"

"No," Izzy refused.

"Unfair," James sulked.

"That's the way it is," Izzy grinned as she left the two boys to argue.

She sat next to Lily, who looked at her worriedly. "You got Sirius as your husband, didn't you?"

"Yeah. The world's out to get me."

"I got Alan Green."

"Ex-boyfriend Alan Green?"

"Yeah."

"Awkward."

Alice smiled brightly. "I got Frank. He said he was really excited."

"Aw. That's super cute."

"Mary?"

"I got Remus."

"Destiny." Izzy sighed.

"Not really. He heard some of the teachers talking about it before class, told me and we sat together in the hope those would be our pairs."

"And he couldn't tell me that so I could avoid Sirius?"

"Sorry." Mary shrugged.

Alice grinned. "Lil and I were sitting together but they weren't up for a lesbian pairing."

Izzy laughed. "Maybe they'll progress to that next year."

"Maybe."

Lily smiled. "Should we pack together after school and then go to that meeting together?"

"Yeah," Izzy smiled. "I'll meet my _husband _there."

Alice laughed hysterically. "I'm sorry. I've been trying to hold it in; it's just, it's as if you moved straight past fake dating to fake marriage!"

Lily giggled. Then tried to keep a straight face as Izzy glared murderously at the two of them.

**Reviews please! Ooh, I wonder what Izzy and Sirius will get on their project! F for Failing at Fake Marriage?**


	9. Pearls and Wicked Witches

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Sorry it took me a while, but I got back to school, and of course teachers have piled on the homework. Grr. **

**Pearls and Wicked Witches**

Izzy grabbed out a soft suitcase from under her bed, rather than carrying her trunk around London. She shoved in assorted clothes, her Walkman, her secret stash of lollies, three books and her bathroom kit. She zipped it quickly, hefted it on to the floor and sat on her bed, cross legged. "Done." She announced.

"Already?"

"Yes Lilykins."

"But…"

"I don't feel the need to obsess over everything like you do sweet pea."

"Oh. I guess it makes sense then."

Alice shared a smile with Izzy. Gosh they loved the girl, but Lily could be a tiny bit obsessive compulsive.

The four girls left their bags by the door at five and skipped down the stairs. "Wifey," Sirius said in a deep, manly voice.

Izzy narrowed her eyes. "Watch it Black."

"If you hurt me it's classified as spousal abuse."

"Who said anything about hurt, I was going the full monty for murder, baby."

"Yeah, that's right, the full monty," Sirius had the dirty look in his eyes.

"Not in the dirty way!" Izzy protested. "Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Sue me for assuming," Sirius defended himself as McGonagall's crisp voice cut through the chatter.

"Alright students." She began in her Scottish burr. "This Muggle Studies assignment will take place over three weeks, beginning on Tuesday, tomorrow. All students must be prompt, at nine a.m. we meet at Hogsmeade station. You will be given the address of your flat in inner city London, a map, and you make your own way there with your 'spouse.' Any questions? No? Alright, we'll see you tomorrow at Hogsmeade station for your adventure into the Muggle world on your own. I hope you learn from it."

And with that, she left a bunch of notices on the coffee table by the fire, and left by way of the portrait hole, her cloak billowing behind her. Izzy grabbed a notice from the table and handed them out to the girls, sighing as she rested on an armchair.

"So, you're going to live with Black for three weeks."

"Yes Lily. And I cant kill him because I have ten Galleons riding on it."

"Okay." Lily shrugged. "Just … try not to be too nice to him, Izzy."

"What?" Izzy looked stunned. "When am I _ever_ too nice?"

Lily and Alice shared a look. Alice sighed. "Iz, you do the whole insult thing, witty banter, what ever, but you suck at actually being mad at someone. You forgive way too easily."

"What?"

"Please. You were just being nice to Black even though you're heartbroken by him."

"I'm not heartbroken!"

"Whatever. Pissed, mad, heartbroken, the point is, you should still be flipping him off in the corridor, not joking around with him."

"But I have to get along with him for the project!"

"Yeah. Get along with him, don't throw yourself at him."

"Where are you getting this shit? I am not throwing myself at Sirius."

Lily grabbed her hand. "I'm not saying you are, I'm just saying he can charm people and you should watch out."

Izzy frowned. "He didn't even do anything that bad!"

"Izzy, you kissed!"

"Yeah, but we were _fake_ dating!" Izzy shouted, the entire common room now looking on. Izzy threw her hands in the air. "Yeah I'm mad, but staying mad wont help anyone. I don't understand why I have to justify myself to you! I thought we were friends!" Izzy looked at Alice and Lily, and stormed off up the stairs. Mary; who had been staring worriedly at the group of them the entire time, ran up the stairs after her.

"Iz?"

"What?" Her voice was muffled and Mary spotter her splayd across her bead, pillow over her head. Mary sat next to her, leaning over to whisper.

"Iz, I know it sounded mean, but they're just looking after you. They don't want you hurt, and they figure the best way to do that is to get Black the hell out of the picture."

Izzy rolled over and searched Mary's face, hair mussed and over one eye. She looked confused. "You used to hate Sirius too."

"Well," Mary shrugged. "I've been speaking to Remus, and though he has flaw, hell everyone does! He's not as much of a douchebag or tosspot as I thought. He is all of those things, but he's also … well, I shouldn't say."

"Please tell me?"

"I can't. Sorry. Remus told me in confidence." Mary smiled knowingly at Izzy. "But no matter what Lily, Alice or even your mother tells you, I somehow feel that you and Sirius aren't over, or even content to stay mad at each other. So I'm sure, one day, he'll share it with you himself."

Izzy smiled and hugged Mary, tears pricking her eyelids. "When did you get so wise?"

Mary smiled and let her go, hands resting gently on her shoulder. "Remus is rubbing off on me."

"No doubt." Izzy agreed. "I'm glad you got the guts to ask Remus out, because the shy bastard wouldn't have been able to do it himself."

"What? Ask himself out?" Mary joked. "Just kidding. We have you to thank, Iz."

"Aw. If only I could sort my own love life out."

"Too true. Are you going to talk to Allie and Lil?"

"Nah. I'm going to show them that I'm not always nice and that I don't forgive too easily."

Mary shrugged. "Whatever."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Izzy woke up to the sound of Alice and Mary bickering. "You were too hard on her."<p>

"I worry about her. Sirius is a butthead."

"A butthead?"

"Yeah, don't question my terminology."

"I'll question it if I want to."

"How about I question your face?"

The argument deteriorated into lame-no-intelligence-banter, and Izzy sat up. "Chill out slags."

"Excuse me?" Alice turned, eyesbrows raised.

"Look, I was mad, but Mary spoke to me last night and I realise in your own whacked out little way, you were looking out for me."

"That speech warms the cockles of my heart." Mary wiped away an imaginary tear.

Alice grinned and yelled. "Lil! She's not mad anymore!"

Lily poked her head around the bathroom. "Because she relaises we're right?"

"No," Izzy said firmly. "Because I know you were just trying to protect me."

"Aw." All three girls dived on to Izzy's bed to squezze her up in a crushing group hug.

"Yay, group hug!"

"No … a-air!" Izzy wheezed.

"Killjoy."

"Murderer."

"You aren't dead, are you?"

"Attempted murderer. Shut up Alice."

"I win."

"How'd you figure that?"

"Because you resorted to 'Shut up, Alice.' Like a five year old."

"Ouch. Harsh words."

"But never truer spoken."

Izzy poked her tongue out before slipping into the bathroom to get ready. The girls cleaned their dormitory for the occasion, grabbed their bags and headed downstairs. Lily sighed. "Should I find my husband now?"

"Nah," Izzy said, blanching a bit at the thought of three whole weeks with Sirius. "Meet him in London."

Alice sighing giddily as they headed to the Thestral-pulled carriages. "This is going to be so awesome."

"Yeah. For you."

Lily grabbed Izzy around the neck, her head resting on Lily's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You can come hang with me all the time!"

"And my ex?" Izzy asked. "I don't think so."

Izzy looked between Alice and Mary. "And I'm not going to be, like, the fifth wheel between the lovebirds."

"Hey!" Alice protested. "I resent that. We aren't lovebirds, we're _potential _lovebirds."

"Oh, okay, that makes a difference." Izzy was rewarded by being swatted about the head.

As they reached the carriages, the girls got in, and just as Izzy was about to jump up, two hands caught her about the waist and swung her gently into a seat. Izzy turned and grinned. "Hey James."

"Hey." He looked glum as he sat. "Iz, will you hang out with me during this stupid project? I have Marlene."

"I know. If it helps, I totally wanted Sirius to swap with you."

James rested his head on her shoulder. "She's mean."

"I know, honey. She's the Wicked Witch of the West."

"Who?" Sirius said as he leapt into the carriage.

"Your mum." James answered without any real enthusiasm.

"That's true." Sirius admitted. "Hey wifey."

Izzy nodded non-committally.

"No spiteful comeback? Am I finally wearing her down? Has the shell finally broken off the oyster and revealed the pearl that is our Iz?"

"Shut up Sirius."

"Eh. Not your usual standard, but at least there's some bite."

The carriages pulled up, and all the students piled on to the Hogwarts Express. Seeing as it was only seventh years doing the project, the train was pleasantly empty and quiet, very relaxed. Izzy and her friends grabbed a compartment, and the Marauders followed them in, trailing behind like a herd of puppies.

"You wont fit!" Izzy protested, pushing Sirius backwards.

"Yeah, I've heard that before baby," Sirius winked.

She rolled her eyes. "You know you're an utterly disgusting, sick little boy?"

"Nothing about me is little."

"Eugh." Izzy sat down by the window and pulled her feet on to the chair. Alice rested her feet on Izzy, and James sat next to her, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. The rest of them somehow squished in and they all looked at each other.

All eight of them sighed deeply. "Nap time."

* * *

><p>When they got off the train, Professor McGonagall gathered them around and handed out an information pack. She pursed her lips and began to speak. "In this pack you will find the address of where you are staying, criteria for the assignment and what has to be done before getting back to school, like a Potions catch up essay, or a report on how well your 'marriage' worked out."<p>

Sirius winked at her as McGonagall continued. "There is a list of addresses and phone numbers for each person in the class as well as Professor Tubbington and I, he will be staying at the Leaky Cauldron, whereas I will be going back to Hogwarts but can always Apparate up here to sort out any troublemakers." She seemed to be glaring in the Marauders direction. "Anyway!" She clapped her hands. "There's a map of London in there, get to your flat/house/etc. and begin settling in. When your staff member visits you for evaluation they will expect everything in top notch shape. Good luck!"

And rather than get back on the train, she whirled, her cloak billowing and with a small 'pop', she was gone. Everyone split up into their groups quickly. Lily and the girls joined hands. "Good luck with your douchebags," Lily said seriously.

Izzy laughed. "I think they're husbands, Lil, not douchebags."

"Same thing." She shrugged. "Anyway. I'll call you all and we can meet."

"Let's go to Hyde Park," Izzy and Alice begged at the exact same time. "Please!"

"Sure, 1 p.m. tomorrow." They all agreed.

"Women!" Sirius roared after everyone had left, the other Marauders and Alan Green standing behind him, looking awkward. "Get a move on!"

"Sexist pig!" Izzy retaliated.

They all grinned at each other as they exited into the Muggle world, no parents, no teachers, just the best friends they had in the entire world.

Five minutes later, they'd split into their pairs, left the station, and Izzy and Sirius were yelling at each other. "Give me the map!"

"No you tosser! I know where I'm going!" Sirius snatched the map out of her hands.

"We're going the wrong way!" Sirius said. "Aha!" He flipped the map up the other way and sighed.

Izzy poked her tongue out at him. "Why don't we just go back to King's Cross and start again?"

"Fine." Sirius agreed reluctantly. "This is all your fault."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Um, Sirius?"

"Yeah."

Izzy whirled around quickly. "Where's the station?"

"By the name of Merlin's saggy y-fronts, we're lost!"

**Reviews? Now, I know you probably think, hey unrealistic! Just chuck'em out there into the world by themselves, why dont you, but that's kind of the point. They want them to be able to handle themselves in an all Muggle world, not in their little magic bubble known as Hogwarts. Also, the teachers are on hand if they need help, so never fear, Izzy and Sirius shall be fine. :)**


	10. Smoking and Cherry Pie

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: I hope you enjoy! I'm going away for the weekend, so I wanted to post this first!**

**Smoking and Cherry Pie**

"We're lost." Izzy stated bluntly.

"This is all your fault. How did you lose the station?'

"Says the one who can't even read the map without flipping it all upside down!"

"Well, you can't even read a map, so I win by default."

Izzy pouted.

"So there." Sirius added petulantly.

"Instead of acting childish, should we just ask someone?"

"You're the one acting childish," Sirius muttered as Izzy led him into a small souvenir store.

Izzy and the grey haired shop assistant conversed for a few minutes before she pulled Sirius away from the shiny toys, eyes shining. "We get to take the underground!"

"And you're not childish?"

"Come on Sirius, you killjoy!" Izzy dragged him over to the station entrance and they raced each other down the stairs like five year olds.

Sirius breathlessly cheered. "I won!"

"_Now_ who's childish?"

"The both of you!" James Potter exclaimed, coming over to them, grinning in the dark haziness of the fluorescent lighting, Marlene the Monster trailing behind.

"Hey man."

"Hi James!" Izzy grinned. "What are you doing here?"

"Turns out we live in the same street." James grinned, eyes slightly manic, as if he'd spent too much time already with Marlene.

"How did you know where to go?"

James was about to open his mouth when, with a snotty air, Marlene announced, "I used to live in London when I was younger."

"Oh goodie," Izzy muttered. Yet another thing Marlene could do that she couldn't. That and sex.

As they bought their tickets Sirius pulled out a smoke. Izzy frowned. "Sirius, you can't do that in here."

"I just want one."

"It doesn't change the fact it's banned."

"Bloody Muggle Londoners," He cursed, shoving it back in his pocket.

The three friends and one slut staring giddily at Sirius made their way to the platform just as a train pulled up, and wind was blowing in their hair. James and Marlene got on, and Izzy turned just as the doors started to beep warningly, seeing Sirius surreptitiously sliding a cigarette out of his pocket.

"Sirius!" She jumped forward, caught him by the sleeve of his jacket and dragged him forward, just as the doors started to close.

They made it in and fell on to the floor laughing, James, Marlene and the commuters all staring. "You aren't allowed to smoke in here!"

"I just wanted one!" Sirius repeated.

"At the cost of catching the train?"

"Well, yeah!"

"The doors close really quickly, you have to hurry." Izzy explained. "Did you even know what stop to get off at?"

"No," Sirius admitted.

"Just stick close to me Immature Husband." Izzy sighed. "And no smoking inside our house, either!"

"Meanie."

"Shush."

"My arm hurts. The door caught it."

"Well, that's what you get for trying to illicitly smoke."

"Illicitly? Where were you educated?"

"Clearly not Tosspot Academy like you obviously were."

James sighed and decided it was about time to break up the fight if he didn't want to explain away a punch up and a dead body on the floor. Not Izzy's body, Sirius'. The girl was just that scary sometimes.

"Aw look at you two, fighting like an old married couple."

They both turned and glared murderously. "Shut it James."

* * *

><p>The four teenagers sat on the train for ages, as commuters got on and hopped off in equal measure. After about twenty minutes, Marlene sighed and leant forward to Sirius, hand on his knee as they were sitting in a four seater.<p>

"So Sirius," Marlene said huskily, trying for sexy.

"Do you have a cold?" Izzy asked loudly. "Because I have a lozenge if you want it."

Marlene just glared at her and James dissolved into silent fits of laughter. Izzy sat back, quite proud of her effort.

"Want to casually make out?" Marlene asked Sirius flirtatiously.

Sirius pulled his eyes away from the dark window and looked at her. "Nah." He sighed. "I'm good thanks."

Izzy sighed sympathetically. "Aw. Maybe it's the fluorescents." She pointed above her head to the lights. "They don't exactly do wonders for your complexion."

"I'll do wonders for your complexion in a minute," Marlene threatened.

"You wouldn't hit me if you were paid a million Galleons. You might break one of those nails." Izzy grinned and held out her hands, showing chipped red, short nail polished fingers. "I keep mine short for that exact reason."

James didn't point out she also kept them short for Quidditch, he was too busy sitting back in awe of the catfight before him, as was Sirius.

Marlene stood and Izzy stayed lazily in her chair. "Seriously Marlene?" Izzy asked, laughing. "You're going to fight me? I don't hate you Marlene. I just defend myself against people who are mean to me. Why are you mean to me?"

Marlene narrowed her eyes. She clicked her fingers in front of James' face. "Come on husband. Let's go."

James sighed and shrugged apologetically, following his "wife" down the carriage. Izzy turned to Sirius and glared. "Do you know why she hates me?" Izzy asked loudly.

Sirius shrugged. "No idea." He fidgeted distractedly. "Can I smoke yet?" In truth he did know why Marlene hated Izzy, he just wasn't sure how to tell Izzy that yet.

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Come on, you chimney. The next one's our stop."

Sirius followed her, chuckling. "Chimney? Oh ouch."

"You know those things give you lung cancer, right?"

"They don't give you lung cancer. They could be one of _many _causes."

"Said just like an addict. It's so sad to see a young light snuffed." Izzy sighed melodramatically as the train pulled in and they piled off. Sirius began to chase her, grabbing her into a head lock.

"Young light snuffed?" Sirius questioned, ruffling her hair as they rode the escalator. To keep herself standing, Izzy latched her arms around his waist. "Besides. I'm not addicted." He added as he let her stand up but still kept his arms around her.

Izzy grinned. "You are too. Are you trapping me in your arms?"

"I believe it's called love between a husband and wife, and no I'm not addicted."

They walked out into the open air and surveyed the street, still city-like, but less busy and loud. Izzy pointed them in the right direction, and they were faced with an apartment building, grey and plain, very tall.

Sirius entered the lobby area and headed straight for the stairs. He turned back to Izzy. "These don't move do they?"

"No," Izzy laughed. "But there's a lift."

"A lift?"

Izzy led him to the metallic doors. "You can push the button."

Sirius smiled excitedly, like a little boy, and pushed the button quickly. The doors slid open, revealing the elevator and a few people getting off. "Whoa. We need lifts at Hogwarts."

"Pretty cool, hey?" Izzy asked, surreptitiously giggling, and agreeing, those bloody moving staircases would be the death of her one day!

"It's like, the room magically appears. Why do some people hate Muggles? They're fucking smart."

"Okay, we need floor number …" Izzy looked away to check her papers. When she looked up her Immature Husband had pushed all the buttons. "15." She finished lamely.

"Oh."

"Sirius! It's going to stop at every floor now."

"Sorry."

Izzy sat down on the floor. "Oh my god! Did I hear that right? Did you just apologise for something by actually saying sorry, rather than making excuses? Moment for the history books people!"

Sirius gave her a sour look.

"Just saying," Izzy responded as he sat opposite her and they watched the doors open and close at every floor. What felt like an hour later they reached floor 15 and got off.

Sirius looked back sadly. "Bye elevator."

"You can ride it again tomorrow," Izzy told him as she let them into apartment 154.

Izzy ran in quickly, ignoring the clean white kitchen, running past the old sofa and T.V., hurtling into the master bedroom. "Dibs!" she shouted.

"Damn," Sirius sighed, heading into the room with her, ignoring the pokey spare room that he could now call his own.

"Uh-uh-uh," Izzy wagged a finger. "McGonagall said we're not supposed to share." She stretched out on the double bed and sighed contentedly. "This is the life."

Sirius crept up and jumped onto the bed with her, tickling her manically. "Ha ha!" He mocked.

Izzy fought him off. "Sirius go away. Wifey needs a nap."

Sirius grinned at her and went out to the lounge room, settling in. Izzy smushed her face into the pillows and drifted off into dreamland.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Izzy slowly dragged her feet out to the living room where Sirius was watching T.V. "What are you watching?"<p>

"Bewitched." He scoffed. "And they've got this all wrong! Do I wiggle my nose? No, I dont think so!"

"Sometimes." Izzy nodded, trying to keep a straight face as she flopped down on the pillows next to him.

"So, is wifey making dinner?" Sirius asked.

Izzy frowned. "Yeah." She said loudly. "I was thinking of doing Male Chauvinist Pig with a side of, say, Shut The Hell Up Vegetables."

Sirius chuckled. "I was actually craving cherry pie, but okay."

Izzy grinned. "Yes, cherry pie!"

They both looked at each other. "Should we go get some?"

"Yeah."

Izzy pulled on her slippers and Sirius chucked her his jacket, as it was nearly dark outside, and they headed to the lift, Izzy realising that her hair probably looked like a bird's nest.

At the convenience store on the corner, they bought frozen cherry pie, Coke, lollies, chips and an apple. "I like apples," Sirius said defensively.

"Freak."

The cashier looked at them peculiarly as they unloaded their loot, and Izzy grinned sheepishly. "We just moved in upstairs and you know, unpacking …"

The old woman just smiled as she scanned their items through. Sirius silently marvelled at the Muggle money as Izzy handed over some pounds.

As they left, Sirius grinned. "I think you pulled off the lie, aside from the fact that we have a fully furnished apartment and we have no unpacking."

"Sh," Izzy said "I just wanted to break the stereotype of unhealthy rude teenagers with no respect for their elders."

"Aw. She's geeky."

"Shut up."

"Mean too."

"That's right, you better watch it."

"I always do."

When they returned, Sirius sat on the couch while Izzy was in the kitchen part of the same room, putting the pie in the oven.

Twenty minutes later as she emerged with the pie and two forks, Sirius extravagantly and exaggeratedly kissed her feet. "My saviour!"

She rolled her eyes and handed him a fork, changing the channel on the small TV. They both sat on the couch, close together, pie between them, not bothering with plates. And as Izzy looked over at Sirius; black hair framing his face, grey eyes shingin, a tiny red bit of cherry pie above his lip, she decided, this wouldn't be so bad. And later, when she thought of the day she decided that she and Sirius Black would know each other forever, she always thought of cherry pie.

**Reviews please! I will be away this weekend, so updates may be a few days away!**

**Just to clarify, Izzy knows more about Muggle life than Sirius because she is a half-blood. :)**


	11. Fallbacks and Friends Forever

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Sorry this took forever, I had to unpack and finish homework. But you don't care, so I'll just let you get on with it, Enjoy!**

**Fall Backs and Friends Forever**

Izzy woke drowsily, eyes fluttering open as she surveyed a room that was most certainly not her bedroom. She let go of her tight grip on the warm metal of a dirty fork, red crumbs indicating that she had fallen asleep over her cherry pie last night. She was right, as she turned her head, her hair sliding off her face, and saw an empty pie dish on the couch next to her. The room was on an angle, and her eyes felt blurry as they always did when she had a late night.

Even in her haze, she managed to wish, please let Sirius have gotten up and gone to bed before I fell asleep. But she knew it was a pipe dream as she became aware of a heartbeat thrumming beneath her ear. Sure enough, as she splayed her hand out, she realised they had both stretched out on the couch last night, and fallen asleep, Izzy draped across Sirius' chest.

Dear God.

Izzy slowly lifted her head and looked up at Sirius. He was awake, hair mussed, eyes surveying her with something akin to…care, in his eyes?

Sirius was caught out. They'd both fallen asleep last night, yet he had woken up much earlier than Izzy, yet been content to let her snooze on his chest as he watched her sleep. She wasn't particularly cute in her sleep; she talked, dribbled a little bit, and her hair kept whacking him in the face, but he kind of liked it. It was Izzy, after all, no matter what she did or looked like. And that's when he almost had heart failure.

Sirius Black, liking a girl not because of what she looked like? Sirius Black, too afraid to tell said girl the truth? What was this? Being in Muggle London had clearly shifted them to some sort of parallel universe or dimension? Because Sirius didn't get scared. And, he didn't fancy one girl at any time, he fancied all girls, all the time. That was what made him such a stud.

Yet as Izzy eyes searched his, he knew that she had realised something was up. "Hi," He croaked, voice a bit shaky. "I was, well, I just woke up … and I wanted to let you sleep for a while longer."

Izzy quickly jumped to a sitting position, realising that she was still spread all over Sirius like Marlene the Slag. "Sorry." She said quietly, her hair a curtain between them as she stared fixedly at the coffee table. She twisted her fork between her hands and looked back at Sirius.

He smiled shyly, and they both decided that when they weren't making fun of each other, they really didn't have much to say that wasn't off limits to the supposed One Girl Who Wasn't Going To Date Sirius, and Sirius: The More Than One Girl Stud.

"It's fine," Sirius said awkwardly, rubbing his hands together as he leant forward on the threadbare lumpy couch.

Izzy looked over at him and sighed. "Oh God."

"What?"

She began to pat at his white T-shirt,. Which had a massive red stain on it. "Sorry, I did that." She held up her fork.

"It's alright," Sirius said laughingly. "My wife's amazing at washing laundry."

Izzy smiled but beckoned for him to take the shirt off. Surprisingly, Sirius made no comment about the whole taking the shirt off thing. In fact, both were rather quiet.

Izzy walked around the corner and dropped the shirt into the washing machine and shrugged as she looked at all the different washing powders or bottles there were sitting on the shelf. She shrugged, grabbed one and squirted a copious amount of liquid into the washer.

She poked her head back into the kitchen after she was done, seeing a shirtless Sirius scraping the last skerricks of cherry pie out of the dish. "Sirius?"

He looked back guiltily. "Yeah?"

"It's noon. We slept really late and we're meeting the others at 1 p.m."

"Sure. I'll get ready, and you know … shirt up." He laughed awkwardly as he headed into the spare bedroom and shut the door softly behind him.

Izzy put her head into her hands before finger combing her hair out. Oh God. They'd just slept together on the couch, she told herself. It didn't mean anything. It _shouldn't _mean anything. But then why did she feel so awkward?

She pulled on a black dress with a floral pattern, struggled into her tights, spread her hair over her shoulders, and shoved some money into her bra before grabbing her lace up boots and skipping out into the kitchen where the telephone trilled shrilly throughout the house. When Izzy entered the kitchen, Sirius held the phone out to her. "For you."

Izzy jumped up to it on the bench and cautiously took the phone. "Hello?"

"Izzy!"

"Hey Lily, what's up?" Izzy motioned to Sirius to hand her the cherry pie dish as she scraped her finger around and licked the crumbs off delicately.

Sirius almost growled. Dear Lord did the girl have no idea what she was doing to him? She was so ignorant.

Lily sighed over the phone. "The good news is, I'm not with Alan Green anymore."

"Yayface, who are you with?"

A voice in the background sounded excited. "Is that Is-A-Bella?"

"James," Izzy burst out laughing when she heard her name pronounced in three distinct syllables. "Your husband is James?"

"Not funny!"

Izzy could almost picture Lily stamping her foot. "It is a little," Izzy giggled.

"No it's not. Marlene complained to Tubby so we got swapped." Izzy sighed at the injustice of it all. When Sirius had wanted to swap he'd said no, why Marlene? Maybe because he knew they'd just shag the entire three weeks, Izzy thought spitefully.

"Poor thing." Izzy held in her laughter and mouthed, _James and Lily _to Sirius, who was leaning on the bench next to her.

Sirius quietly laughed himself silly and Izzy held her hand over her ear to hear Lily speak. "...Hyde Park?" Lily finished, from what she could hear.

"Sure." Izzy agreed. "Do you want us to bring anything?"

Lily sighed. "I have lunch worked out but maybe …"

"Cherry pie?" Izzy asked excitedly.

"If you want." Lily said. "I'm going to kill him," she added in an undertone.

"Don't kill him Lil, we need him to win us the cup."

"Goodbye Isabella."

"Love ya!"

Izzy grabbed the keys and motioned for Sirius to go out the door before her. "We need to buy cherry pie," she told him.

"And use the lifts!" He said excitedly, bouncing over to push the button.

Izzy bought the cherry pie, and a quaint little basket for it to sit in as they rode the underground all the way to Hyde Park.

When they walked through the grass to where their group was sitting Izzy sighed deeply as she saw Remus and Mary sitting in each other's' arms. "What?" Sirius asked, lopping his arm through her's as she carried the basket on her arm.

"I want, this is going to sound so stupid."

"What?"

"I want to have what Remus and Mary have," She blurted out quickly, mentally kicking herself.

"What do they have?"

Izzy whacked him on the arm. "You know, look at them!"

Remus fed Mary a piece of apple, and they laughed, leaning in close, resting on the picnic blanket. Sirius saw what she meant. "You'll get it." He told her softly.

"I won't," Izzy said with clarity. "My only boyfriend has been Alan. I just, I just know that I won't." Because I'm in love with you, Izzy silently added to herself.

Sirius patted her gently on the arm.

"And what if I grow up and never get married?"

Sirius had no idea what had brought on this crisis, but he smiled and said firmly, "Alright, how about, if neither of us is married by the time we're 40, we get married?"

"A fall back marriage?" Izzy asked lightly.

"Yeah, sorta."

"Well, Sirius, I'm honoured, though your proposal needs a little work."

He chuckled as they reached the group. "Where have you been?" Alice asked as she hugged Izzy and waved at Sirius.

"Organising our fall back marriage plans," Sirius said without missing a beat.

"Think of this as a trial period," Izzy told him, winking as she sat on the picnic blanket. "Look, we brought cherry pie!"

Sirius shared a look with her as they handed around cherry pie and they settled in with the people they wanted to know forever. Lily immediately freaked. "No, no, I have sandwiches, pie is for after!"

Alice just grinned and dug into her pie, laughing at something Frank whispered to her. Remus and Mary were still being cutesy, and Peter and James were sitting together in the corner.

After the group had stuffed themselves, Izzy looked around at them. "I know we're not perfect," she started. "Sirius is a slut, James and Lily hate each other, and Alice is just weird."

"Hey!" Alice protested.

"But," Izzy sighed, "I want to know you guys forever."

"Aw," James and Sirius hugged her from either side.

Izzy surveyed the nine of them. "No, I'm serious. When we live in the city when we're older I want us to get together and do things like this all the time. We have to stay friends."

"Group hug!" James announced, his eyes mysteriously misty.

The nine teenagers huddled in, laughing as Sirius sighed, "Aw. Perfect snuggle moment."

Izzy poked him in the side. "Shush, don't ruin it."

"Sorry."

"It works better if you're silent."

"It works better if _you're _silent."

"Guys, shut up." Mary sighed.

After they stayed and chatted until it was nearly dark, Izzy and Sirius headed back to their apartment. Sirius fidgeted awkwardly in the lift, unable to enjoy it. "So, Iz, I was thinking, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Izzy answered as they left the lift and entered their apartment, flipping lights on as they went.

Sirius fidgeted as he stood in the lounge as Izzy shed her coat. "So, I was thinking, even though we're each other's fall back marriages and all…?"

"Yeah," Izzy said as she left the room to go and check on Sirius' stained shirt.

"Maybe we could …" Sirius raised his voice until Izzy came back into the room and his voice trailed off into oblivion as he looked at her standing in the doorway, eyes wide.

She was covered in soap suds, hair wet, hands held up, almost as if in surrender. "We have a problem."

**He nearly asked her out! *gasp* Reviews please!**


	12. Bubbles and Nutella

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Reviews please! Come on guys, we can make it to a hundred reviews! Special surprise for my hundredth reviewer!**

**Bubbles and Nutella**

"What happened?" Sirius asked flatly, surveying the bubbles and soap all over Izzy's dress and hair.

"Well, I may have used a little too much detergent," Izzy admitted, smoothing the suds off of her hair and making a face.

"May have?" Sirius said as he pushed past her gently to get to the little cupboard/small room where their washing machine sat.

"Sorry," Izzy said as they approached the scene.

The washer was shaking in one corner, bubbles spewing out of it endlessly, into the room and spilling out into the corridor. "Shit." Sirius cursed. He looked at the washer shaking wildly in the corner. "We have to turn it off."

"I'll do it," Izzy sighed, wading into the knee deep soap suds.

"Hey, why do you get to play in the bubbles?" Sirius protested, jumping in.

Izzy rolled her eyes as she flicked off the machine and Sirius laughed, flicking some soap suds her way.

"I changed my mind, wifey sucks at laundry," Sirius commented.

"Hey!" Izzy protested, throwing bubbles at him laughingly.

"Well, my T-shirt's ruined."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"I have plenty more!" He stated. "Or I could just walk around shirtless."

"You could," Izzy said thoughtfully, trailing her hands through the bubbles near her legs.

Sirius grinned at her as he fished his T-shirt out of the washer. "We could clean up later and have fun now."

His eyes sparkled and Izzy could almost believe he didn't mean just throwing bubbles at each other. But she grinned back and flicked her fingers at him, bubbles flying gracefully through the air to land on his face.

"You are so dead."

"Don't threaten me Sirius Black," she giggled as he threw more water and bubbles at her, taking two giant steps and grabbing her with one arm around her waist, the other making it rain bubbles on her head.

"This is my favourite dress!"

"Well, that was my favourite T-shirt!"

"It was white. I'm sure you have a billion!"

"Sentimental value."

"Sentimental value my left nostril!"

"What did you just sa-?"

But before Sirius could finish his sentence, his foot caught on the washer, and his other leg couldn't hol him up in the slippery mess, he slid to the floor and into the corner, Izzy being dragged with him.

"Ow."

"Don't say anything." Sirius said quietly.

"Clumsy son of a-"

"Don't." He repeated. Sirius and Izzy looked up. Where they'd slid, the bubbles were paramount, and they formed a wall around them, a small spot of light entering above their heads. "Doesn't it feel like we're in our own little world?"

"Kinda."

"A world where maybe I could kiss you."

"Kiss me?" Izzy's eyes widened.

"I was thinking about it," Sirius admitted sheepishly, string at her pink lips, mouth open in surprise.

Izzy smiled. "Don't think boy, do."

"Really?"

"Sirius, if we discuss the kiss for much longer before it happens, I might not want to kiss you anymore, because you know, I'll be on my deathbed."

"I'm not taking that long," Sirius protested as he cupped Izzy's face in his hand, leaning forward. He blew the bubbles off her eyelashes, and stared into those deep blue eyes of hers, the ones that made him want to never leave her side, her brown dark hair was wet and heavy, pushed messily off her face. When he was so close that their lips almost touched, he could see a light dusting of freckles across her nose, and the small crease between her eyebrows that never went away. She stared straight back at him, and as his lips touched hers, this time it was different.

It wasn't like when they had been fake dating and fake kissed. This was the real stuff, and Sirius was actually feeling something real, which was new, even with all his past snogs included. The whole world died around them; no traffic sounds, nothing. The soap suds and bubbles had encased them on their own little planet, and Sirius wished that they would never have to leave.

He gently ran a hand through her hair, cupping the back of her neck with his big hand, marvelling at how delicate she felt beside him, legs and arms pressed together, lips gently moulding to his. When they broke apart, Izzy just stared at him. She caught her breath, and quietly laughed. "I now officially understanding why you have a fan club."

Sirius tucked her under his arm, and fiddled with the soap suds at his side. "Yeah?"

"That was –"

"Amazing, best kiss of your life?"

"Until you spoke," Izzy joked lightly. She pecked him gently on the lips and he caught her face in his hands.

"Iz?"

"Yeah," she felt breathless again. Damn Sirius!

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Best kiss of my fucking life."

Izzy blushed. "Sirius, do you have to be so obscene?"

"It's true. Who knew you got all prudey when someone compliments you? Oh wait-"

"Don't make a virgin joke, please!"

"I wasn't going to!"

"You were!"

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

Sirius leant over and kissed her passionately, leaning her up against the washing machine. He grinned as he pulled away from her, hands steadying himself on the slippery floor.

Izzy gasped. "I foresee our arguments being resolved much quicker in the future."

* * *

><p>After they'd mopped the floor and gotten rid of the mess, Sirius collapsed on the couch, turning on Bewitched, which he was now obsessed with, and Izzy stood at the door, feeling awkward.<p>

"Um, 'night Sirius."

"Night love," he smiled at her, and Izzy felt the warm feeling in her stomach as she headed down the hallway.

"Oi!"

"What?" Izzy turned to see Sirius jogging towards her.

"No goodnight kiss?"

"Sorry," Izzy said, standing on tip toes with her hands on Sirius' chest, kissing him softly.

"Good night Iz."

"Night Sirius. Who knew you were capable of being such a cute bastard?" She asked, almost to herself as she shut the door to her room.

"I didn't," Sirius muttered as he went back to Samantha the witch and her absolute dolt of a husband, Darren.

He lay on the couch for ages, contemplating his next move. He'd managed to kiss her, but he wanted to ask her out. He wanted them to be; Izzy Flynn, Girlfriend and Sirius Black, Boyfriend. He just had to work up the courage to do so. "Come on," he told himself. "If James can ask out Lily and get rejected for seven years, I can ask Izzy out once."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Izzy lay in for a while, and Sirius got up early, quietly creeping out to the kitchen and looking in the cupboards. "Shit." His plan had been to make Izzy breakfast, but there was nothing in the cupboard except bread and some weird spread, called "Nutella."<p>

Sirius shrugged. Breakfast was breakfast, right? He popped the toast down and began making coffee. After he'd made his amazing gourmet breakfast, he tapped on Izzy's door with his foot, hands full.

"Yeah," she croaked.

Sirius shouldered the door open. "Good morning, sleepy head."

"You made me breakfast?"

"Yeah. It was a bit of a fail, we only have toast, and Nutella."

"I love Nutella!" Izzy exclaimed as Sirius sat next to her on the double bed and handed her a piece of toast and a cup of coffee. "Thanks."

"It's so random, we have nothing but bread and Nutella. Why Nutella?"

Izzy ducked her head. "I'm addicted. I keep it in the dorms at school and I _may _have brought it with me."

"No way!" Sirius said. "Is it _that_ good?"

Izzy nodded as she took a bite. "Yes. It will change your life."

Sirius took a massive bite of the piece of toast that she handed him and closed his eyes. "Fuck. That is the best thing I've ever tasted. You were _not_ kidding."

"No I wasn't," Izzy said, laughing as she wiped Nutella off Sirius' mouth.

"It's amazing." He continued.

"But super fattening. That's why I run and play Quidditch. If I didn't you'd have to roll me to classes. That's how much Nutella weight I would have on me."

"Ha ha," Sirius smiled at her, and Izzy smiled back. It was kind of nice, this being nice to each other and just chilling.

They looked at the information pack, and they had nothing to do that day, as their work experience started the next day. So, they stayed in their pyjamas and chilled on the couch, eating Nutella out of the jar.

After they'd been making out for a while when Bewitched got boring, Izzy sat back. "Sirius, what are we?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius internally cringed.

"Well, you know," Izzy started. She mocked Marlene and used air quotation marks. "Will we eventually be 'causal sex partners' or are we more?"

Sirius sat down opposite her and took her hands. "What do you want to be?"

"I don't know," she griped.

"Well, how about we just make out?"

"Okay," Izzy shrugged as he kissed her, and sighed at his deft aptitude at avoiding the question. She knew it was horrible and pathetic, but she'd rather have Sirius casually than not at all. And she hated herself for it.

After they'd been inside most of the day, Sirius clapped his hands together. "Come on! Get dressed, we need some fresh air!"

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Yes mum." She dressed quickly in her blue floral petticoat dress, wearing her same worn old boots as she grabbed her keys and Sirius' hand before skipping out the door.

It was dusk outside when they got to the park opposite their apartment. They walked, arm in arm for a while, before the sky turned a brilliant orange and they sat on a green wooden bench to enjoy the sunset.

As the silence grew deafening, Sirius psyched himself up inside his head. _Come on Padfoot! You can do this! You're a studly stud and you can do it!_

Izzy looked curiously at him, hair billowing softly around her face in the last rays of falling sunlight, as Sirius got down off the bench.

"Iz," Sirius started, kneeling beside her.

"You're aren't proposing are you? Because I might just have to hex you." Izzy laughed, pushing her hair back, yet her eyes were serious. Maybe he'd taken the 'casual' jab too much to heart earlier? Oh dear God, she didn't want to be someone's fuck buddy, but she definitely didn't want to be someone's _wife_!

"Look, I just want you to know that I wouldn't be a good boyfriend." Izzy sighed at his opening line. Great way to start, Sirius.

"You've only got Alan to surpass, and I'm pretty sure he has mental difficulties."

"I can't be cutesy."

"Even that word makes me want to vomit."

"I don't do love letters."

"I wouldn't read smut from you anyway, Sirius."

"No flowers."

"I'm allergic to pollen."

"I don't romance, I just shag."

"A nice change."

"I forget dates."

"We'll be spontaneous; broom closets and stuff, no need for a schedule."

"You're okay with that?"

"I've seen you date or heard that you've shagged almost every girl in the school, Sirius, I have a vague idea of what you're like."

"I just want you to know that I'll try."

"That's all you can do."

"Well then." Sirius looked pleased. "Will you, Isabella Flynn, please be my first actual girlfriend?"

"I'd be delighted."

Sirius ran a finger down her blushing cheek, kissing her gently. "You're adorable and I'm God's gift to women. What a cute couple we'll make."

"Why now, Sirius?" Izzy rolled her eyes at his high opinion of himself, but otherwise ignored it.

"What?"

"Why now? The sexual tension, as you say, has been paramount for ages."

"I wanted to keep you away."

"But why?"

"Because my family is no good, therefore, I'm no good."

"That isn't how it works. You don't always follow in the same footsteps as your family."

"I'll try not to."

And as Sirius kissed her again, ending the conversation effectively, Izzy resolved to find out more about this darker mysterious side to Sirius.

**Reviews? YAYFACE, they are finally going out!**


	13. Mauraderettes and Ice Princesses

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: I hope you are enjoying this, guys! Sorry for taking ages to update this! :)**

**Mauraderettes and Ice Princesses**

Sirius and Izzy sat on the grass, close together, fiddling with their hands together. "Are we going to tell them?"

"How?" Sirius said, pressing his lips to hers. They were in the park waiting for the rest of the group. It wasn't often that they were early, but Izzy had a feeling that kissing in the park was awesome, and she had been right.

Izzy shrugged. After another minute they were interrupted by a very early James Potter, a glint in his eye. "You shagged, didn't you?"

Sirius dropped his head, not looking at James. "Way to ruin a moment, Prongs."

"Ouch. I'm going to go eat some chocolate and cry."

"Oh brilliant, we can get back to it then." Izzy smiled at the banter between the two boys.

"I may feel the need to mope for a few days."

"I'll enjoy the quiet."

"I thought you were my best mate," James said, shaking his head sadly and heading towards the group trailing behind him. "They shagged!" He yelled theatrically, jogging over. "And Remus, you are now my best _best_ mate."

"Yay for me," Remus said dryly, an arm around Mary.

"It's a prestigious title you hold, Moony," Sirius called to him. "You need to be a studly stud, and you must dump your girlfriend and be a player."

Mary flipped him off and poked her tongue out. "Maybe you should dump her anyway," Sirius yelled. "She seems to have anger issues."

"And what do we have here?" Lily stood over the two of them, hands on her hips, James standing a ways behind her.

Sirius leant into Izzy, "why do I feel like I've been caught kissing by my mum?"

"I don't know, but I feel it too."

Lily rolled her eyes, and turned to James, "There's no talking sense into them." Then she seemed to wake up. "Why am I talking to you about sense?" And with that she headed over to Mary and Remus as the group sat down.

James looked dejected. "So close, man." Sirius encouraged. "By the way, you've been asking Lily out for six years, right? I asked Izzy out once and she said yes."

"It's a different situation," Izzy interrupted, fearing for James' sanity.

Sirius puffed out his chest. "Yeah. I'm fucking amazing, and a sex god, and James has glasses."

"That was mean," James commented. "I need those tears and that chocolate."

"By all means," Izzy gestured to the picnic basket.

Sirius grabbed and apple and began eating. "Just so you know, I _am _a sex god."

"I'm sure in your own twisted fantasies you are, but that's not why I agreed to go out with you."

"Why then?"

Izzy grinned. "Your hair." She gushed sarcastically. "It's _sooo_ amazing."

"You know, I thought when we were going out we'd stop the making fun of each other."

"Nope." Izzy popped the 'p.'

"Very well then. Challenge accepted."

"What challenge?"

"Bring on the virgin jokes because they win every time."

"Mean." Izzy pouted. "Low blow."

"What was it you said to me that time?"

Izzy blushed. It hadn't been her shining moment. "If only I could without getting detention." She quoted.

"Classic," Sirius said. "There's hope for you yet, Isabella Flynn."

"As a potential Marauderette," James commented, leaning between the two.

"And I am so honoured," Izzy gushed again as she winked at Lily.

"Don't take it lightly," James started.

"This is a serious business we're in," Sirius finished.

"You prank Slytherins. Big deal."

Sirius and James gasped at each other. "Oh no she didn't!"

"I think she did," James said fearfully.

"Crime of the highest order," Sirius shook his head. "I am actually ashamed to have snogged you."

"We'll need a formal apology, chocolate from Honeydukes, some homework done for us, and your initiation prank carried out on a Slytherin when we get back to school." James ticked the items off on his finger.

"Good luck with that." Izzy almost snorted.

"Just the prank then," James held out a hand to seal the deal.

Izzy took it bravely. "I'll show you. It's not hard, and I don't understand why you're legends for it."

"Mostly it's 'cause we're sexy," Sirius revealed.

"But the pranks do play a small part," James added.

Sirius grinned. "You can prank Bellatrix if you'd like," he said, naming his psychotic cousin.

"Bring it," Izzy stated, and James held out a hand to high five her.

"Can't back out now," James warned.

"I wouldn't," Izzy said, almost offended.

After they'd eaten lunch, Lily looked warily between Sirius and Izzy. "So you, the two of you, are dating?"

Sirius kissed Izzy on the cheek. "We're attempting it. I am gorgeous. It depends on how long Izzy will be able to tame the beast."

"Tame the beast?" Izzy whacked him on the chest. "Shut up."

"You two? The school slut and the sarcastic one?"

"You're the slut," Izzy pointed out unnecessarily.

"Says the virgin." Sirius replied without missing a beat.

"Meanness."

"But I'm hot, right?"

"That's why I keep you around."

Alice sighed as Lily gave up. "You guys are cute in a weird twisted sort of way."

Sirius and Izzy pulled apart, looking horrified. "We're not cute!" They said simultaneously.

"We're really aren't."

"Least cute couple ever."

"I mean, he's a slut."

"Yeah, and she's, you know – "

"Don't say virgin."

"Wasn't going to."

"Sure."

Sirius kissed her shoulder. "Sorry."

"Apology acceptance pending."

"I'll just have to be gorgeous and lovely until then."

"Good luck."

"Challenge accepted."

"What is with the challenges? There are no challenges being thrown on the table you tosser!"

"I'm hurt. I think you're the one who has to be gorgeous and lovely until I accept your apology."

"I'm always gorgeous and lovely."

"True."

Mary pretended to vomit in Remus' lap. "Gross attack," she commented.

"Yeah," Izzy rolled her eyes. "Like none of us want to throw up at the sight of Remus feeding you."

Remus gasped. "I'm offended."

"Keep your girlfriend on a leash," Sirius replied.

Mary and Izzy glared. "Sexist bastards."

"We're sorry," Remus and Sirius cried.

"Apology acceptance pending," Mary said, her nose in the air.

"Yeah," Izzy added, "maybe we'll just snog each other."

"But we can at least be there, right?"

Izzy looked shocked, "Remus! I would have expected that from Sirius, not you!"

Sirius grinned. "What can I say? I'm a good teacher."

"Bad influence, more like," Mary muttered. Remus looked sheepish and Mary laughed at him. "Maybe I will just snuggle with Iz."

"Maybe you should." Izzy pouted and tucked Mary under her arm.

"Are they always like this?" Frank asked Alice, looking almost confused at the fast pace of the conversation.

"Always," she rolled her eyes.

Izzy decided to meddle. "Alice usually is too, but she's on her best behaviour."

"It's true," Alice laughed carelessly. "I'm trying to be good today."

Frank just chuckled.

Of course, with Lily Evans around, the group of friends soon got to talking about their work experience placements. "The girls are all at offices in the city," Mary announced.

"Kind of sexist," Izzy commented.

"I'm at a mechanic's," Sirius said cheerily.

"See what I mean? I'd love to be at a mechanic's."

Sirius looked at her. "Really?"

"Yeah."

He growled. "A girl who likes cars. You just get better and better," he added as he grabbed her round the waist.

"Not appropriate for my young innocent eyes," James interrupted. "Save it."

"Well she has," Sirius began. "She is a vir-"

"Shut up." Izzy glared, putting a hand over his mouth.

He licked her hand. "I'm just trying to sexually enlighten you."

"One, don't say sexually enlighten. Two, eeeewww! You licked my hand!" Izzy wiped it on her dress.

"My tongue was in your mouth yesterday," Sirius reasoned. "Why not your hand?"

"Or your – " James began but Lily interrupted him.

"If you finish that sentence I will hex and then divorce you." James shut up quick smart.

"Sorry."

"Don't be vulgar." Lily reinforced.

"Yes mum," Sirius chuckled.

"And don't be smart with me."

Sirius dropped his head humbly.

Izzy sighed. "After work tomorrow we should find a bar to go to or something. I'm bored of hanging out in the park."

"There's always the Bloody Banshee," Frank said.

"The quiet one has a great idea!" James exclaimed.

Frank looked embarrassed and Izzy smiled at him. "Ignore him. I do."

James pouted. "Hey!"

Izzy waved a hand at him. "Yeah, yeah Jamesie."

"Meanness."

"You started it."

"How did I start it?"

"I believe it was a while ago, when you said, 'Hey Iz, I need to borrow your bra.'"

"It was for a legitimate reason."

"No it wasn't."

Mary chipped in. "There is never a legitimate reason for a guy to ask to _borrow _a girls' bra."

"Never." Lily reinforced firmly.

James crossed his arms and pouted. "Well now you're just ganging up on me. Why do you like her better."

"'Cause I'm awesome," Izzy said bluntly.

Sirius nodded. "It's true. She's an amazing snog."

James glared at Sirius. "Hey man, I thought we were in the same boat."

"Not anymore," Sirius cheered. "I am safely on land."

"Traitorous bastard."

"I prefer fickle hottie, but go with what you feel."

Their argument disintegrated into nonsensical banter as it usually did, and Izzy sighed, "Break it up, break it up."

Lily stood. "Come on James, we have to go shopping."

"Aw," Izzy sighed. "How cute. I totally have an insight into your future now."

Lily glared at Izzy. "Don't speak."

"Bu-"

"Don't."

Sirius sighed and pulled Izzy up. "We should probably go too."

Alice and Remus laughed. "You tame the beast and all of a sudden he's a homebody."

"I'm not a homebody." Sirius protested.

Izzy patted him on the shoulder. "No, you're not."

Sirius sighed, looking at his watch. "It's just, Bewitched will start in a few minutes and I'm going to miss it."

The teenagers on the picnic blanket laughed, and Izzy stifled a giggle herself. "Sure, come on baby, let's get you home."

"Thank you." Sirius said like a five year old as they left to find the tube station.

At home, Sirius settled on the couch for the last ten minutes of Bewitched, which he was very disgruntled about, and Izzy sat on the bench in the kitchen, dialling Lily's new phone number.

"Hello?" Izzy asked cheerily.

"Hey Iz," James' voice boomed down the line.

"Is Lily there?"

James sighed heavily, sounding like a gush of wind, blowing down the line. "Fine. Everyone always wants Lily, never me."

"James?" Izzy asked, before he handed off the phone. "How's it going with you two?"

He sighed again. "Well, I don't know. When she talks to me, she's like the Ice Princess, but sometimes when I act all goofy and make a fool of myself, she smiles just a teensy bit. But that's probably because I made myself look stupid."

"Hang in there, mate," Izzy advised sympathetically. "She'll come round."

"I hope so."

"Hey, Izzy!" Lily's voice was loud and cheery. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to see that you hadn't murdered James yet," Izzy said casually.

"I'm close to it," she said darkly.

"Why?" Izzy asked confusedly. "I like James. He's funny, confident, and he's not all stuck up."

"Like Sirius?"

"Sirius is not stuck up." Izzy stated firmly. "Anyway, don't change the subject."

"I just, he's so mean to people, Iz." Lily said sadly. "You could almost think he was nice because we're in his circle of friends, but he does horrible things to the Slytherins."

"Yeah, 'cause they started it," Izzy reasoned. "I know you think he's a bad person with a façade of nice, but he's really not Lil. He's super nice and he has this flaw where he constantly needs to prove himself. Just be a little nicer. You don't have to shag him, just stop being an Ice Princess."

"Ice Princess?"

"His words, not mine," Izzy felt guilty for ratting James out.

"Well," Lily said quietly. "I guess I have been a little cold."

"There you go," Izzy said encouragingly. "Just try, Lily."

"Fine," she said glumly. "Just know you suck, mother."

"I resent that jab," Izzy laughed as she hung up the phone, and wondered what exactly would be going down in the Evans/Potter household that night.

**Reviews please! :)**


	14. Sleeping and Motorbikes

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: I know you all hate me! I'm sooooooooo sorry I haven't updated! A week long holiday kept me busy. But on a happier note, her is another chapter, I've seen the new movie and it waaaassss EPIC! I'm going to see it again tomorrow (shh.) :)**

**Sleeping and Motorbikes:**

Izzy woke in the morning and looked into her suitcase to find something slightly corporate to wear that day. No such luck, so she chucked on one of her floral dresses, her black blazer, and combed her hair back into a high bun.

In the kitchen, she grabbed herself the last one of Sirius' apples, as the cupboards were all bare when she felt his hands snake around her waist. "Mine," he growled playfully, mouth against her neck.

"Me or the apple?"

Sirius shrugged as he turned Izzy to face him. "Both?"

Izzy just laughed. "Good morning mechanic!"

"And good morning to you, corporate business woman."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "I'm going to be so bored."

"I'm going to have fun," Sirius rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"Sexist," Izzy muttered once again as she grabbed her handbag and chucked a set of keys at Sirius. As they rode the elevator, Sirius trapped her in the corner. He pressed his lips to hers passionately, hands sliding around her waist, hair tickling her cheeks.

"Whoa," Izzy laughed afterwards. "Is that your good morning kiss, 'cause we should do that mo0re often."

"Ha ha," Sirius said sourly. "Appreciate my romance would you?"

"I am," Izzy protested. "I just like to chat about it."

"And I thought I would be the goofy one in this relationship," Sirius shook his head.

"I resent that," Izzy pouted and pushed him away.

The doors slid open at the ground floor and Sirius joined the pout club. "You made me miss the entire elevator ride!"

"Don't be a baby." They parted at the doors, Sirius quickly kissing Izzy on the lips.

"Enjoy work," Sirius told her cheerily. "I'll come get you at five."

"Okay, ma petite. Ciao!"

"Hate to mix languages," Sirius mocked as they walked backwards down the street in opposite directions, still talking to each other.

"Mean!"

"Bye love!"

"Bye," Izzy said when he had turned around and was striding down the street , cigarette in his hand. Izzy grinned and tapped an old woman on the shoulder. She pointed to Sirius a hundred metres down the road. "See that guy? He's my boyfriend."

"How lovely for you, dearie," the old woman said sarcastically, tottering off on her way.

Izzy looked stunned. "Old women are supposed to be nice, but anyway."

She entered the law firm office that she was going to be working in for the next three weeks and rode the elevator to the top floor giggling slightly about how much fun Sirius would have in this elevator all shiny and mirrors. The self absorbed stud would be able to see a thousand versions of himself in these mirrors.

Izzy stepped into the lobby, all grey sleek lines and a big desk at the end of a long room with full length windows. Izzy looked at the few people scuttling around in grey suits carrying files and inwardly sighed. This was going to be such a drag. She stood tentatively at the desk and saw a woman with a phone plastered to her ear and waited for her turn.

"Hello?" The woman with red hair and a nasal voice said snottily. "Can I help you?"

"Oh," Izzy started. "Um, I'm here for work experience and…I have no idea where to go."

"Take a seat."

Abrupt, Izzy thought oddly as she sat on the white leather couch. After a few minutes the woman emerged. "Come on." She clicked her fingers sharply and tottered off on her high heels.

The woman stood in front of a door at the end of a long hallway, mark Mail Room. "You'll work in here for the next three weeks," She said in a dull tone. "Sorting, copying, filing, etcetera etcetera. Enjoy."

"But I don't know how to do any of that," Izzy protested.

"They'll show you." The woman uncaringly waved her hand at Izzy as she hurried off down the corridor.

Izzy gently pushed open the door and realised she was definitely made for working in the mail room. It was definitely un-business like and un-corporate, posters of the Beatles on the walls, one girl dressed like Izzy and one boy in a crumpled button down shirt, music playing softly in the background. "Hi," she said tentatively.

"We've got a live one!" The girl skipped towards Izzy. "Hey kid. You the work experience newbie?"

"That's me," Izzy said cheerily. "Thank god I'm here."

"What?"

"This is way more me than the corporate – "

"-crap out there?" the boy asked jokingly.

"Well yeah!" Izzy laughed. "I'm Izzy, by the way."

The bleach blonde girl grinned. "I'm Billie."

"Benji," the boy with the fluffy brown hair and purple button down shirt shook Izzy's hand.

"So, what do I do?" Izzy asked. "Ginger Bitch was a little rushed."

"Yeah," Benji sighed. "She kind of hates the Mail Room kids."

Billie shoved him. "'Cause you dated and dumped her."

"Stud?" Izzy asked, eyebrows raised.

"I like to think so."

Izzy listened to the music. "You're Beatles kids too?"

"Yeah." Billie grinned.

"Come and have a cuppa?" Benji asked cheerily.

"Sure," Izzy followed them through the messy room crates full of mail everywhere, desk covered with little trinkets.

They drank coffee out of Queen mugs and did almost no work until the end of the day. Izzy waved goodbye to her two new friends and skipped downstairs at ten to five where Sirius stood in the lobby. "Hey Sirius!"

"Hey Iz, how was work?"

"Slightly awesome. I'm a Mail Room Kid."

"Okay," Sirius took it in his stride. "Good name for a band."

"That's what I thought," Izzy kissed him on the cheek as they exited the lobby onto the street. Sirius pulled her to the left and covered her eyes.

"Don't look."

"I can't."

"I'll ignore that."

"Be my guest."

"Shut up."

"Okay grumpy."

"Anyway. Working at a mechanic, I decided it might be time to introduce you to the other woman in my life."

"Excuse me?" Izzy fought Sirius' hands.

"No wait!"

"You better do this quick or I'll be gone."

"Stella." Sirius extravagantly waved his hands as he took them away from Izzy's face.

"A motorbike?" Izzy nearly choked on her laughter. "That's the other woman? Oh, honey."

Izzy surveyed the beast in front of her. It was dark, black, sleek, shiny, and massive. _She_ was, anyway. "She's my baby," Sirius said proudly.

"You are so lucky I'm a little quirky, otherwise you'd be dumped for your weird little obsession."

"What about your weird little obsession with your virginity?" Sirius scoffed, looking a little defensive.

"Maybe I should just shag you and then you'd shut the hell up," Izzy shrugged as she began to walk down the street.

"Definitely!" Sirius agreed breathlessly as he caught Izzy around the waist. "But first, ride my motorbike!"

"God, how can you be so dirty and so childish at the same time?"

"It's like a gift."

"It's something."

"I don't like the implication in that sentence."

"I don't like the implication in your face."

"James is rubbing off on you."

"Mm-hm."

"Please ride my motorbike."

"I don't like you."

"You love me."

"In your twisted dreams."

"And reality too?"

"Eugh."

"Please."

"Death trap."

"Thrill ride."

"Same thing."

"Pleeeeaaaaasse." Izzy looked back at the motorbike. She liked the mechanics of things, but she preferred to have a solid body of a _car _built up around her. "Aha, your resistance is crumbling. Come on!"

Izzy let herself be dragged along to the motorbike. Sirius kissed her on each cheek before putting a helmet on her head as she rested against the bike. "Helmet hair." Her voice was muffled.

Sirius rapped her smartly on the head. "You look cute." He got on and she slid on behind him, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"You look insane."

"Ye of little faith." Sirius scoffed as he kicked the bike to life.

"Ye of little brain!" Izzy squealed as she tucked her head into his back.

"I heard that." Sirius said as he weaved into the traffic.

After a while, Izzy looked up and discovered she didn't mind it so much. As they stopped at a set of lights, Sirius turned and grinned at her. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Little bit," Izzy admitted.

As they sat at home eating a quick spaghetti dinner Izzy had prepared because it was the only thing she knew how to cook, Izzy smiled across the small table at Sirius. "So, where do you keep the bi- …Stella when you're at Hogwarts?"

"The Potters' garage," he said quickly, shovelling in more food.

Izzy looked confused. "Oh, why not your parents?" She knew Sirius had issues with his parents, but they still lived together, right? Maybe they just didn't approve of the bike.

"I, um, I don't live with my parents." Sirius stated bluntly.

"Why?" Izzy asked insensitively, not thinking properly, learning that her barely seventeen year old boyfriend did not live with his parents.

Sirius looked down. "Because our views … differ."

"On?" Izzy was now just curious, and she knew she was being a bit insensitive but she figured she may as well squeeze as much information out of the mysterious Sirius before his talkative mood dissipated.

"Everything." Sirius chuckled bitterly. "My taste in music, life choices, good versus evil."

"Like …?" Izzy didn't have the heart to say it.

"Yeah, You-Know-Who, good versus evil," he clarified.

"Oh." Izzy reached across the table to hold his hand gently.

Sirius ducked his head. "Maybe it wouldn't make that much of a difference, but my little brother has been brain washed by them. He's in Slytherin. I miss that kid. We used to be … friends, I guess."

"Oh Sirius." Izzy slid over and put her arms around him where he sat with his head leaning on his hands.

"It's just…"

"What?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Sirius said abruptly. He stood up and ran his hands through his hair. "What you need to know is that I lived with the Potters' this past summer. At the start of the year, the only relative I liked died; he left me a house, and some money. End of story. I've got to go to bed, Iz." He shot her an apologetic look as he backed quickly out of the kitchen and a door swung shut at the end of the house.

Izzy cleared the plates slowly, sadly, wondering why Sirius needed to bottle things up like that. She thought she might have driven a rift between them, but as she flicked off all the lights in the little flat, pushing open her bedroom door, she saw Sirius lying splayed across her double bed, face peaceful, hair mussed, in just his boxers. For a moment, Izzy admired him, one arm under his head, bare chest quite toned.

As she crept closer, he'd hastily scrawled a note on a piece of paper: _Hope you don't mind._ And a wonky love heart, drawn underneath. Izzy shed her clothes, pulled on pyjamas and got under the covers, sliding closer to Sirius and snuggling in under his arm. Izzy sighed, Ah, this, she could live with.

**Reviews, my lovelies! I probably don't deserve them, but give them to me anyway :)**


	15. Honey Pumpkins and Werewolves

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Another update, I hope you aren't still all mad! My prize winner is in this chapter with her purple velvet jacket! thebritishone, I hope you enjoy this!**

**Honey Pumpkins and Werewolves**

"Sirius, my darling lovely sweet honey pumpkin?" Izzy called cheerily as she let herself into the apartment, her bag slipping off one shoulder.

"Yeah Iz?" Sirius sounded as if he had food shoved in his mouth.

"Such a romantic," Izzy grumbled as she headed down the hallway into the open living room.

"Hey," Sirius stood and relieved her of her of her bag, and Izzy hid a smile at the grease smudged across his cheek.

"I give you darling sweet honey pumpkin and you give me 'Hey Iz,' with food in your mouth?" Izzy asked jokingly.

"Sorry." Sirius leant in to kiss her and Izzy pushed him away. "Ew. Greasy. Go shower."

After Sirius had cleaned himself off he came out and Izzy curled up by his side as Sirius' new favourite show, Bewitched, came on the television. "So?" Izzy asked. "I left early this morning, yet you were still in my bed."

"Funny that," Sirius said awkwardly. "I just …"

"It's alright," Izzy laughed. "You were like a giant hot water bottle."

"Good to know I'm good for something," Sirius shrugged.

"Anyway, McGonagall sent us a note about a 'get together' they're holding." Izzy said, handing Sirius the letter:

_Dear Students,_

_Nearly one week into your placement, the faculty is holding a gathering at the hall to gauge your progress and give you a place to re-unite with fellow students._

_Time: 7p.m., next Wednesday._

_Place: King's Cross Station, where various Portkeys will transport you to our location, which for safety purposes, will not be disclosed._

_It is reminded that while you are completely safe, please be cautious, as various unseemly characters have been sighted in and around London lately. _

_Sincerely,_

_Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress._

"Unseemly characters?" Izzy asked.

"The nice way to say Death Eaters," Sirius said darkly as the phone rang out through the house. Izzy patted him on the knee and jumped up.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey Is-A-Bella!"

"Jamesie," Izzy greeted cheerily.

"We're meeting at the Bloody Banshee," He invited. "You coming?"

"Of course!"

"On Sirius' bike?"

"You mean the death trap?"

"I think it's cool," James defended.

"You also wanted to _borrow _my bra, need I say more?"

"One time, and you're never going to let me forget it, are you?"

"Never. It's practically a felony."

"Well now Sirius is dating you it'll be so much easier to get your bra for practise."

"Se you at the Bloody Banshee, you creep." Izzy hung up the phone.

"James?" Sirius asked, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah," Izzy said, grabbing her keys. "Come on. Bloody Banshee here we come."

Sirius pulled his bike into the almost deserted car park and stopped near the lit up old building that housed the bar. The Bloody Banshee was the hot spot for young witches and wizards, and was almost neutral territory for both sides of this underground war that was going on. It was out of London, in amongst fields and a few other small derelict houses.

Izzy pulled off her helmet and stood by the bike as Sirius removed his helmet and kicked the stand on the bike. James, Remus, Mary and Lily stood by the door smiling as the two began to walk towards them across the car park.

Then, as if it was in slow motion, Izzy watched as Lily screamed, as a jet of green light shot across to empty landscape towards Sirius. Sirius whirled around, saw the green light and knew exactly what it meant, he grabbed Izzy roughly around the waist and dived for the cover of his motorbike, sheltering her under his arms, hearing her breathe quickly and shallowly. "It's okay," he said quietly. He waved at his fur friends still standing at the door. "Do something!" He yelled frantically.

"We don't have wands!" Lily cried, unable to withhold the panic she felt bubbling in her chest.

As more jets of multicoloured light zoomed every which way across the parking lot, they took shelter beneath flimsy tables at the front of the building, unable to risk making a trip across open ground to the door to get help.

"Please let someone hear us," Izzy begged, not even caring that she could barely breathe in Sirius' tight grip.

"It's okay," Sirius said again, but she couldn't hear him properly over the noise that suddenly raced above their heads.

"Hey!" A small woman burst out of the door, wearing a purple velvet jacket, neon green Doc Martens, her sweet face crinkled into a frown, black skirt swirling around her legs as her almost red, almost blonde curly hair seemed to crackle. She pulled out her wand and sent red sparks up into the air that made a massive boom.

"Malfoy, Lestrange!" The woman stepped further out into the parking lot. "Get the fuck out of here before I call someone that'll do you some real damage!"

The curses stopped as two figures scurried off into the night before disappearing with a pop. "Arrogant fuckers," The girl muttered before smiling. "Hey," she helped Sirius up, who had a shaking Izzy still tucked under his arm.

James stood up and brushed off his clothes. "Thanks."

The girl grinned at him. "It's all good, mate. Kinda fun actually! Anyway, I'm Anna-Lee."

"I'm James," They shook hands and Lily watched as they seemed to hold on a little too long, their eyes meeting for a little too long.

"Drinks on me," Anna-Lee announced as they entered the bar and she slipped behind the counter. The counter ran the length of the room, and dark mahogany tables were scattered around, orange pendant lamps hung down and groups of young people were grouped together around the bar.

"This chick is cool," Sirius said to lighten the mood.

It didn't work. Izzy and Lily shared a look as they hugged each other and rolled their eyes. "Free drinks and all of a sudden she's your best friend," Lily said as Alice, Peter and Frank joined them, wanting to know what had happened.

Yet as the night went on and the bar emptied, Anna-Lee came and hung out with them and even the girls couldn't help but like her. She was friendly and charming, and James certainly got on well with her. They had pushed three tables together and were all resting on each other tiredly as the night wore on.

Lily was pouting and Izzy pulled her aside. "Thought you didn't like James?"

"I don't."

"What's the grumpy for then?"

"I'm not having a grumpy."

"You are."

"Am not."

"Anna Lee's nice."

"Yeah, she is."

"Sad that James isn't fawning over you as per usual?" Sirius leant over Izzy's shoulder.

"Why don't you to go be annoying somewhere else?"

"Sure. Mary!" Izzy called.

"Remus!" Sirius countered, and they left Lily alone to go and annoy the cute couple sitting together in the corner.

Lily sighed. Bloody James. The minute he stops paying attention to her she decides he might not be so bad after all. Fickle teenagers, Lily sighed, realising she meant both herself and James.

Alice ran over to Izzy. "We should do karaoke!"

"Totally," Izzy agreed, and Anna-Lee popped up between them.

"What song are we doing?"

Alice grinned. "We have a few lined up."

Izzy giggled along with them. She knew Lily secretly, deep down, liked James and that she should, on principle, not like Anna-Lee, but she was just so nice and fun.

Izzy jumped up on the stage. "Hello ladies and bra stealers!" She pointed at James and grinned. "Anyway! I thought we'd introduce you to some lovely Muggle classics! The Beatles everybody!"

Alice took the microphone. "And Izzy would like to dedicate 'Oh Darling' to her douchebag of a boyfriend, Sirius Bloody Black."

"Thanks Alice," Sirius and Izzy called in unison.

Alice grinned as Anna-Lee hopped on stage too. "Would you all please welcome, our brilliant new friend Anna-Lee, with as much applause as roughly eight people can make, Anna-Lee Jones on guitar!"

In the middle of their song, Izzy realised Remus and Mary weren't attached at the hip like they usually were and Mary stood by the door, biting her nails and looking out worriedly into the night. After they'd finished, Izzy leapt off the stage and approached Mary. "Hey, where's Remus?"

"I don't know," she said worriedly. "He looked unwell, and when I mentioned it he just rushed outside."

"Shit." Izzy said, thinking about the fight earlier that evening with Malfoy and Lestrange.

"Hang on," she said, going over to where James and Sirius sat laughing at something or other. "Sirius, James, Remus is gone."

"Gone where?" Sirius asked sharply.

"I don't know, but I'm worried."

"Those gits from a few years above us were out there, we've got to go find him."

James looked panicked as he stood up. "What date is it?"

"The 5th, I think," Izzy said confusedly. "Why?"

"Shit." Sirius pecked her on the cheek before they rushed to the door and collected Peter along the way.

"Can't I come?" Izzy shouted.

"No."

"Bastard," Izzy muttered as he left, and then wondered if she would ever even see him again.

The three Marauders rushed out the door, and Izzy and Mary watched them go until they disappeared into the dark, except Izzy could have sworn she saw a dog running through a neighbouring field where James, Sirius and Peter should have been.

They re-entered the bar and went back to the table where Lily, Alice, Anna-Lee and Frank sat. "They went to look for Remus."

"Cant we go too?" Alice asked eagerly.

"Definitely," Izzy disregarded Sirius' decision and the girls went to the door as Frank left on Alice's orders. Anna-Lee reluctantly stayed to close up the bar, and the three friends, almost counterparts to the Marauders, left the Bloody Banshee and retraced the steps of James, Sirius and Peter, climbing over a bedraggled fence into a neighbouring field, heading into the trees.

Mary, Alice, Izzy, and Lily clutched hands as they stepped through shrubs and the trees made the dark night even darker. "Shit," Alice whimpered.

"It's okay," Izzy encouraged.

"This is so odd," Lily said. "Why would Remus run out here?"

"I don't know," Mary sounded as if she was near tears. "But he did, and we have to make sure he doesn't run into those bastards from before."

"We know," Alice said.

"We'll find him." Izzy reassured. "Sirius told me not to come."

"Fuck him," Alice yelled.

"Keep it down," Lily ordered.

"Sexist bastard," Mary muttered.

"I know." Izzy agreed.

Crackling came from their left and Izzy jumped. "Shit!"

Lily clutched her hand tighter. "We're all out here without wands. We are so screwed."

"Come on guys," Izzy laughed. "We're Marauderettes! We can do this!"

"Yeah, we are." Alice muttered. "Doing stupid stuff for no reason."

"We have a reason," Mary said, her voice strong. "Come on, we can find him!"

"And if we get there and he's been taken by Malfoy? We don't have wands." Alice reasoned annoyingly.

Izzy growled. "We'll use our fists!"

"I can see that happening," Lily said sarcastically.

They kept walking and Izzy ventured to speak again, just to reassure herself and the others that they weren't alone. "The weird thing was, before they left, James asked what date it was, like that was important."

Lily tripped over a stick. "Ow."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." She stopped and the others stared at her wide eyes that they could see in the dark. "I don't want to freak you out, but we shouldn't be out here."

"Why?" Izzy asked.

"The date does matter," Lily's voice was trembling.

"Why?" Izzy asked again, but a suspicion was forming in her mind.

"He's not sick," Mary said quietly.

"Well he is," Lily reasoned. "Always unwell at the full moon, looking grey and sick. He is sick. With lycanthropy."

"Shit." Alice said. "We should not be out here."

And as if they were in creepy ghost story, a wailing howl pierced the air and they all jumped, scared eyes meeting others in the dark.

"We should leave," Alice said.

"I'm not leaving," Izzy stated firmly. "Sirius is out there."

"I wont leave either," Lily squared her shoulders.

Mary still looked stunned. "I'm not leaving," she echoed quietly.

Alice nodded reluctantly as if she had known their answer all along. "I guess I knew that. Come on."

"Let's go get our boys," Izzy said, leading them on into the darkness. Four witches without wands trooping one after the other into a very perilous situation.

**Reviews darlings? See? I've got my mojo back now!**


	16. Making Out and Making Fun

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Sorry, this chapter took ages as well, but I was having trouble with the end! Enjoy!**

**Making Out and Making Fun**

James and Sirius ran ahead of Peter. "Shit!" James said breathlessly. "How did we forget? How did he forget?"

"God knows," Sirius panted. "I just hope Izzy fucking listens to me and stays inside."

"Doubt it."

"Yeah me too."

They looked back at the bar that was far enough away now, and James and Sirius shifted into their stag and dog forms respectively, waiting for Peter the rat to catch up with them. They surpassed the fence of a neighbouring field and headed into the trees, listening for movement of their werewolf friend out here on his own.

After finding Remus, the four friends scampered around the forest together, attempting to pacify the frenzied wolf. As Sirius went to fetch a stick he caught the scent of someone very familiar … Someone he'd told to stay inside and wait for him… Someone who smelled sweet and made him think of cherry pie.

He grabbed James and made him smell the leaves beside the tree Sirius had noticed the scent at. James' stag head nodded and confirmed his worst fears. They were all out here. All of what Sirius had come to think of as the Marauderettes.

They silently agreed with their eyes. James would occupy Moony's attention while Sirius found and got rid of the girls. Sirius trotted off through the forest and after five minutes, came across four scantily clad girls who looked utterly terrified. Sirius nudged the back of Izzy's knees with his head. She screamed and jumped around, trying to calm herself, "just a dog, just a dog, just a dog."

Izzy bent down and patted him on the head. "Hey, you handsome fellow," she cooed, her voice less shaky now. "What a cute puppy. Adorable bubba, but you know that, don't you?"

Sirius inwardly laughed as he began to nudge her forward with his nose.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Enough with the baby talk to the scary black dog."

"What?" Izzy defended, standing up and keeping a hold on the dog. "I'm a dog person."

Sirius barked in approval. He began to walk away slowly, looking back every few moments. Izzy began to walk after him, and Alice gasped. "Iz! What are you doing?"

"He wants us to follow him," Izzy said with certainty. "I can feel it."

"She's the dog psychic now," Mary announced under her breath as they all trooped after her.

"I heard that," Izzy threatened, looking back down the line.

"We're going back the way we came," Lily said, but it was futile.

Soon he had all four girls following him out of the forest. Soon enough, he had led them all back to the Bloody Banshee car park, where he morphed back into a human.

Izzy stepped back in shock. "Oh my god! You were … but that was a … dog!"

Mary and Alice clutched at each other tightly as Lily put her hands on her hips. "You're an Animagus?" She didn't look too shocked.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I've had my suspicions for a while now," she admitted.

"Evans, you are too smart for your own good." Sirius grinned and then got serious. "Speaking of which, dear God, would someone please tell me why you were all out here even though I specifically told you to stay inside?" He was breathing heavily, eyes wild.

"We wanted to find Remus," Izzy said quietly, the only one brave enough to speak up to an angry Sirius.

Sirius swept her up in a crushing hug, burying his face in her neck. "If anything had happened to you," he threatened, voice muffled.

"I know," Izzy said. "I'd be dead."

"Let's get you inside. Trust me, Remus does not want to be found."

Lily looked mystified. "so you … all of you … change into Animagi every full moon with Remus every full moon."

Sirius shrugged. "Well, yeah. We didn't want him to do it on his own."

"How long?"

"We started to learn how to become Animagi in second year."

Lily stepped forward as if she were about to hug him, but instead just smiled softly. "You're not so bad, Black."

Sirius entered the bar with the girls in tow and saw Anna-Lee soulfully strumming away at her guitar in the corner, most of the lights off. She jumped up. "Did you find him?"

No-one answered. "Can they stay here for a while?" Sirius asked.

"Sure," Anna-Lee agreed. The girls numbly sat down at a table in the centre of the large room and Sirius kissed Izzy quickly yet caringly before heading out the door again.

"What's going on?" Anna-Lee asked curiously.

"We don't know," Izzy lied quickly. She liked Anna-Lee, but it wasn't her secret to tell, and no doubt Remus didn't want too many people to know.

"Okay," Anna-Lee shrugged. "So girls, does James have a girlfriend? 'Cause that is a fine piece of ass."

Izzy really thought that Lily was going to get up, jump over the table, and strangle Anna-Lee Jones. Because she didn't fancy James. Not.

"Excuse me?" Izzy asked incredulously. She'd grown up in the little Hogwarts world, where it was James and Lily, all the way, whether they hated each other at the time.

"Isn't that his name? James? He's hot, eh?" Anna-Lee laughed.

"Um," Izzy hesitated. "I guess. But he's kind of a douche." She lied. Well, he could be Sometimes.

"Oh," Anna-Lee frowned. "He seemed really nice to me."

"Well, he's a slut," Lily pointed out. "It wouldn't pay to get involved with him." Such a lie. James had probably only been out with one girl, loving Lily his entire school years.

Anna-Lee shrugged. "I'm not looking for anything serious."

Lily backtracked and stole one of Izzy's lines. "Well, he's kind of a committed relationship slut. You, picking out the names of future children you'll have together? Eugh."

Anna-Lee sighed. "That's kind of cute."

Lily narrowed her eyes and Izzy gave her a look. A look that said, 'you really don't fancy him?'

Lily returned the look with a, 'no, I don't. Leave me alone, Isabella.'

Anna-Lee shrugged. "Well, anyway, music, girls?"

"Sure," Alice agreed eagerly, quick to dissolve the tension in the room.

The music played softly in the background, Izzy rested her head on Alice's shoulder, wishing she'd worn a longer and more confortable dress. Alice could almost feel the tension and worry streaming off Izzy, so she grabbed her hands to stop them shaking. "What if …?"

"No what ifs," Mary ordered, coming to sit at Izzy feet, lifting an arm to grab her other hand.

"Okay," Izzy felt a tear leak out of one eye. She sniffed. "This is so embarrassing," she sobbed loudly, once.

"It's natural," Alice soothed, patting her hair. "You care for him."

Lily secretly turned her face to hide her tears. Izzy had set her off alright? That was her story and she was sticking to it.

Mary dropped her head. "What am I going to do?" She sighed. "Poor Remus."

Izzy leant down and wrapped her arms around her. "It's going to be okay." And so, eventually, they feel asleep in uncomfortable wooden chairs, waiting for the Marauders to come back.

* * *

><p>Sirius and James walked into the car park of the Bloody Banshee, one on each side of Remus, supporting his weight. Peter pushed open the door, and they entered, seeing the girls all asleep next to each other; faces worried even in dreams.<p>

At the first noise they, the girls woke, all of a sudden alert and standing. Izzy rushed forward, looking at Sirius' scratched face, then turning to Remus. He looked nearly unconscious, face and robes bloodied, eyes only partly open. She was about to rush toward him when Mary beat her to it, and Izzy stepped back, for it was Mary who should do that. James helped Mary prop him up on a chair as she set to healing his wounds.

Sirius stood two metres away from her. "I'm alive," He spread his arms for a hug.

"You survived," she repeated, hesitating to go over there in case he was some sort of figment of the imagination.

"I tend to do that," he smiled weakly.

Izzy ran forward, and instead of hugging him, checked his body for injuries and hit him violently where he had none, punctuating each blow with a word. "You. Idiot! Risked your life … could be killed … bloody moron!" She finished breathlessly, leaning back.

Sirius pulled her in by the shoulders. "I'm glad you're okay too."

Izzy rolled her eyes as she kissed him intensely, clutching at his hair and clothes as if to make sure he was still solid.

Alice and Anna-Lee watched their hot and heavy make-out session. "Isnt that real love?" Alice said dryly, and Anna-Lee just laughed.

James stood as Mary tended to Remus, and stood staring around him as if he wasn't sure what to do. Lily approached him slowly. "James?"

"Yeah," he whirled as if snapping to attention.

"I heard what you do for Remus each month," Lily said softly.

"Oh," James said humbly. "It's nothing, you know, we're …"

He was cut off as lily launched herself at him in a flurry of pale slender limbs and curly red hair, hugging him tightly. James patted her on the back as he hugged her back, winking at Izzy across the room, who'd stopped trying to suck Sirius' face off.

She released him after around twenty seconds, yeah, that's right, James counted. And rubbed her eyes, trying to hide her tears. "You're a good guy, you know? Remember that."

"Thanks," James said, shock almost paralysing him. Lily waked away quickly, embarrassed, and Izzy; still monitoring the situation motioned for him to follow her. James was about to, when Anna-Lee popped up between them.

"Hi James," she said cheerily.

"Hi Ann." James said distractedly.

"It's Anna. Anna-Lee," She corrected gently.

"Oh," James looked at her. "Sorry!"

"I thought what you did was really brave." And Anna-Lee didn't even know the half of it.

"Thanks," he said.

"Do you think we could have dinner sometime?" Izzy wasn't watching him anymore, but Sirius was, and he nodded.

"Um, sure," James scrawled his number on a napkin she handed him and clapped her on the shoulder in a friendly gesture. "See you Ann. Um, Anna-Lee."

"Bye," She said quietly.

After Remus was well enough to sit up, Mary fiddled with his collar. "You could've told me," she said softly.

Remus laughed bitterly. "Where would I have fit that in? Hey Mary, I really like kissing you, but I actually turn into a rabid beast every full moon."

"You're not a beast," Mary said, tears brimming in her eyes. "You're Remus."

"I didn't mean to make you cry," Remus apologised softly.

Mary helped him up, seeing the others were ready to leave. "We'll discuss this later," she said threateningly.

Everyone thought Mary was a shy quiet girl, but Remus knew better, and this girl was not going to take his view of his condition lightly. "Sleepover at Sirius and Izzy's!" Sirius yelled cheerily.

The exited the bar into the parking lot after saying goodbye to Anna-Lee, and all Apparated to Sirius and Izzy's flat in London.

They settled Remus on the couch, the guest of honour, and the other all grabbed blankets and curled up on the floor with Bewitched playing in the background, everyone except Mary, who was curled up by Remus' side, his bandaged arm around her.

James chuckled. "Padfoot, I totally see why you like this show! It's wicked."

"Endora's my favourite," Sirius confided.

Lily and Izzy shared a look. And no matter whether they were making fun of each other or making out, they fell asleep in the one room, best friends.

**Reviews please?**


	17. Gentlemen and Shagging

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: I know, it's been ages, and you must all hate me! But, I have finally found time to update between baking cakes, homework and oddly, my newly acquired social life. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Gentlemen and Shagging**

Izzy woke early, gently pushing Sirius' arm off her and crawling out of the cradle his body made around her. She laid her blanket over Sirius, getting up and smiling at her friends all sleeping next to each other, looking peaceful.

Izzy trudged into the laundry, and, like a mature adult, put on some washing, being mindful of how much washing powder she added. She crept out to the kitchen, and realising she had no food for her more than likely hungry guests, ran out to the store in yesterday's clothes with messy hair.

She purchased bread, apples for Sirius, lollies for the others and headed straight back upstairs, where she left the groceries on the bench, sitting back down next to Sirius, his arms flung out over the spot where Izzy had lain all night. She slid down on the cushions, and tickled the end of her hair against Sirius' nose, giggling quietly as his eyes fluttered open. "Morning sleepy head," she whispered.

Sirius smiled as he wrapped his arms around her. "Morning," He mumbled, kissing her on the nose.

Izzy smiled and nodded over to where Lily was asleep, head on James' shoulder, face peaceful.

Sirius stood and Izzy followed him into their bedroom, where Izzy sat on the end of the bed and Sirius sighed. "Don't get mad, okay?"

"Okay," Izzy said warily.

"I sort of … may have … told Prongs to get over Lily."

"You what?"

"And … he and Anna-Lee, they're going to dinner together."

"And you did this?" Izzy asked, trying to stay calm. "Come on Sirius, Lily and James were finally getting their act together. If you screw this up, I'm never speaking to you again."

"Okay," Sirius hugged her around the middle.

"Or touching you," she added harshly, standing up and storming out to the lounge room, where James waved at her, smoothing Lily's hair off his cheek.

"We have that dance thing today," James whispered. "Gross."

"Aren't you taking Lily?" Izzy whispered back.

James involuntarily smiled. "Yes."

Izzy blew him an air kiss and stood going into the kitchen, and grabbing out the ingredients for pancakes, whipping everything up as Sirius warmed butter in a pan. A sleepy Alice stumbled into the kitchen. "You guys are like an actual married couple," she commented of the two teens waltzing around the kitchen and making breakfast.

Sirius kissed Izzy on the nose as she said, "And you are all my children!"

"Vomitron," Alice commented of their cuteness as she sat down at the bench and waited for the kettle to boil.

"Guess what?" Izzy said as a few more people woke up and walked into the kitchen. "We're watching this today!" She pulled out a video tape of the Sound of Music.

"No," Sirius groaned.

"Yes," Izzy frowned. "You haven't even seen it before."

"There's a nun in the picture. How good can it be?"

"Amazing," Lily interjected sleepily as she walked into the room, James awkwardly following behind her. "It's amazing."

"No," Sirius reinforced.

"It can't hurt," James shrugged.

"Yay!" Izzy cheered.

Alice just looked confused. "Muggles." She sighed with Sirius.

After ten more minutes of cooking, Izzy piled a plate high with five pancakes, sprinkled some icing sugar over the top grabbed two forks, and headed out to the couch, gently waking Mary and Remus. "Good morning, my guest of honour." She handed him the pancakes and he pulled his arm out from under Mary to take the plate with a smile.

Everyone sat around the couch on the floor or on armchairs, face turned towards Remus and the rest of the Marauders. "Please explain." Izzy invited.

"Well," James started.

"You see," Sirius began.

Remus held up a hand. "When I was younger, I was bitten by Fenrir Greyback. Now … I'm a monster."

"You aren't," Mary said mutinously.

"Anyway," Remus glanced lovingly at the girl who refused to stop loving him, even though he was a werewolf. "I go wild every month and …"

"We go with him," Sirius shrugged, as if it were that simple.

"'Cause we like to get wild," James grinned.

"Damn straight," Peter and Sirius high-fived.

Izzy, Lily, Alice and Mary just looked at each other, before tears leaked out of their eyes. "I used to think you were a bunch of douches!" Lily said, almost unintelligibly.

"I never thought," Izzy trailed off.

"Don't cry!" Sirius begged. "We like doing it!"

Izzy smiled gently. "We're crying because we used to treat you like shallow idiots who cared about no-one but themselves. We knew you weren't but we didn't know …"

"I'd do anything for my friends," Sirius said firmly. And he would. He didn't have a family to protect, so his friends were the best he had.

"Me too," James shrugged as if it were nothing.

Remus looked ashamed. "I didn't want them to risk their lives to help me, but you can't talk James and Sirius out of anything."

Izzy gave a small hiccupping laugh. "I know."

"Animagi, huh?" Lily asked.

"Yup." Sirius grinned. "I heard you were a dog person, Iz?"

"I am." She grinned back.

"Aw, cute." Mary sighed.

"We're not cute," Izzy said through gritted teeth.

"We resent that." Sirius commented.

"They're already talking in the 'we.'" Alice sighed.

"Now that we've finished the serious conversation and you've all decided to mock us, I'm putting on the Sound of Music." Izzy said, getting up and putting on the movie.

"No!"

"No, please!"

"Can't we watch something good?"

"No!" Izzy and Lily answered as they grabbed lollies and shared them around.

The movie began and everyone was quiet, just relaxing after their big night.

"_The hills are alive with the sound of muuuuuuuuuuuussic!" _Izzy warbled.

Sirius covered her mouth with his hand. "No offence, Iz."

She glared mutinously and licked his hand quickly. "Gross," she commented as he jerked his hand away and wiped it on his jeans.

"You're the one that licked me," Sirius grimaced.

"Shush guys!" Lily ordered. "Maria's late for church!"

"Gasp," James mocked. He quailed under Lily's withering glare.

* * *

><p>After the movie ended, Izzy poked Sirius. "I can't believe you fell asleep!"<p>

"Three hours of my life I'm never going to get back!" James groaned.

Lily and Izzy glared. Sirius opened his eyes slowly. "What?" He said groggily.

"I hate you." Izzy said.

"I liked it." Alice said. "The Captain was sexy."

"Damn straight." Izzy laughed as she stood. "I have nothing to wear tonight."

"Me neither." Lily sighed.

Mary grinned. "I might have a few things."

The boys stay with Sirius at the flat and Izzy and the girls went to Mary's actual house, not her flat that she was sharing with Remus. They entered the large cavernous house quietly, and Izzy breathed, "Mary, what is this?"

"Mum's sort of, um, famous." Mary laughed. "She writes."

"Oh."

"She goes to benefits and stuff like that. She has a few dresses we can wear." Mary led them into her mother's room and through to a walk in robe that was bigger than Izzy's entire house.

"Where is she?"

Mary shrugged. "Out somewhere no doubt."

"I have mummy issues too," Alice said casually.

"Don't we all?" Izzy said, brushing it off.

They began to rifle through things and Lily pulled out a long light blue gown with beading across the front. "Mary."

Mary grabbed it and pulled it on quickly. "This was always my favourite!"

Izzy pulled out a deep purple sheath dress with organza draped across the top. "Mine," she grinned, pulling it on. "Are we allowed to?"

"Sure," Mary said casually. "She only wears them once anyway."

Izzy grabbed a green dress and chucked it at Lily. "Obviously yours!"

Lily grinned. "Thanks Iz!" She traded a blue dress with Alice, and they all of a sudden had something to wear. An amazing something to wear.

"What will the boys wear?" Lily asked as they sipped the dresses in garment bags and trooped out of the house, Mary slowly wandering through the halls.

"Suits." Izzy said. "They don't need more than one."

They met up with the boys again at Sirius and Izzy's place, all four of which were now dressed in their plain black suits, looking very dapper indeed. "Nice," Izzy said appreciatively.

"Thanks," James grinned.

Sirius elbowed him. "I think she was talking to me."

"I wasn't," Izzy said carelessly, winking at him.

James puffed out his chest. "Even your girlfriend can't get enough!"

"Take that back."

"Or your mum." James dared.

With a wild roar, Sirius launched himself at James and they toppled over the couch. Izzy raised her eyebrows at the scuffle and Remus waved at her from the armchair. "You girls go on ahead. I'll break it up if bones are in danger of breaking."

"Right on." Izzy nodded as the girls trooped into her room to get ready. Izzy went into the bathroom and began to change as Lily snooped about the room.

"Huh," Lily said, her eyes trained on a pair of boxers. "Does Tubby know about this sharing of rooms?"

Izzy rolled her eyes as she re-entered and began to untie her hair. "Shut up."

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"Have you been shagging Sirius, tosser," Alice clarified.

"I haven't." Izzy answered casually.

"Lies."

"I really haven't." Izzy answered. "And he hasn't even tried, other than a few jokes, which makes me …"

Alice and Lily exchanged a look. "He loves you." They announced simultaneously.

"Of course," Izzy said sarcastically. "He won't shag me, so of course he loves me!" Then she looked outside quickly to see if any of the boys had heard.

"Think about it," Lily encouraged, just as James entered the room.

"Hello ladies," he said, looking a bit ruffled. "Is-A-Bella, I hear you have a dilemma?"

"Shut it James," Izzy glared.

"I couldn't help overhearing," James began.

"Bet you could," Izzy muttered.

James held up a hand. "Don't interrupt the guru please." He cleared his throat. "Let's reason this through. Padfoot shags girls and then dumps them, correct?"

"Dick," Lily agreed.

"Hogwarts broomstick," Alice shrugged.

"A Quidditch sex metaphor, Allie," James raised his eyebrows. "I'm impressed."

"Anyway," Izzy cleared her throat, because she really was dying to hear what James had to say.

"So, he shags them, and then drops them like a cold potato."

"Hot potato," Lily corrected gently.

"But then it would be too –" James' eyes clouded over. "Oh." He coloured slightly. "So anyway, after he shags them, he drops them like a _hot _potato."

"Mm-him," Izzy tried not to act impatient. James was Sirius' best friend after all, and he must know him the best.

"So, if he isn't shagging you, then obviously he isn't going to drop you like a hot potato." James finished.

Izzy sighed. "I'm not a potato!" She yelled, uncharacteristically. "And I just want to know why Sirius doesn't find me hot enough to shag!"

Alice stepped back. "Maybe he just wants to take thing slow –" She dropped dead silent as they all turned to see Sirius standing at the door, mouth open.

Lily shepherded them all out the door. "Come on," she clucked. "Let's leave the married couple in peace."

Izzy stood staring at Sirius, blushing almost to match the deep purple of her dress. "You look pretty," Sirius said softly. "Should we go meet the others?"

Izzy swept past him grabbing her clutch, material swishing past his legs. "Such a gentleman," She spat disgustedly as she left.

Sirius rolled his eyes and stared up to the heavens. Women! The one time he tries to be a gentleman with a girl, and she hates it! This really was a parallel universe.


	18. Twins and Black Sheep

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: SERIOUS QUESTION! You guys actually have to read this Author's Note as I am taking a sort of survey.**

**Do you want this story to end in a canon or non-canon way?**

**Do you want this story to have a sequel? 'Cause I already have an idea called Don't Look Back, but I don't know if it would have a sad or happy ending …**

**How far do you want me to go? Until Harry is born? Further? With Izzy in it?**

**Thanks, please add your responses to your review! :)**

**Twins and Black Sheep**

Izzy entered the room swiftly, a blush of embarrassment still tinting her cheeks. She, the Virgin Queen, had just yelled that she wished her boyfriend would just shag her already, and said boyfriend had over-heard. Oh boy. And while they were at it, why didn't he want to shag her?

Sirius stood at her back, looking embarrassed. James clapped him on the shoulder. "Go for it, Padfoot!" He cheered.

Izzy glared. "James!"

"Sorry Iz!" James said as he rushed out the door, being dragged along by Lily.

Izzy grabbed her high heels, and stumbled to put them on, linking arms with Mary as they left the apartment. They caught the underground to King's Cross Station where they all ran together at the barrier and emerged on the other side, breathless and seeing other seventh and sixth years roaming around in fancy party gear. The group found a Portkey and grabbed hold, counting down to three as the hair comb glowed blue and shook violently as it pulled them through the air to their destination.

As Izzy rose of the ground and dusted herself off, she grabbed her clutch and stonily made her way out of the lobby of the large hall they had landed in, and into the main hall that was decorated ornately, students milling about with drinks as music played.

"She's annoyed?"

"Yeah." Sirius answered Remus. "'Cause I wont shag her."

"Weird situation for you to be in, hey?" Remus chuckled. "Why not?"

"Because, of … I don't know."

"You really care about her?" Remus asked, almost stunned. "I'm proud of you, Sirius."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm screwed anyway, so, whatever. Look where it got me."

Remus in turn rolled his eyes as they followed Izzy over to the table of drinks and light snacks.

After Izzy had grabbed a drink and the rest had sorted all their food and drink needs out, James led them over to a round table where they sat and awkwardly pretended to survey the dancers, in reality watching Sirius and Izzy out of the corner of their eyes. "Can I talk to you?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Okay," Izzy said ashamedly. Her outburst had been ridiculous already, she couldn't believe her boyfriend had witnessed it.

"Come on," James said loudly. "Let's dance."

"So," Sirius tried to smile. "Explain your dilemma."

Izzy covered her face with her hands. "I'm so embarrassed!" She wailed.

"I asked for your bra for Quidditch practice, sweet pea." Sirius said, deadpan. "I really don't think you have the right to be embarrassed in this relationship."

Izzy smiled slightly. "Well. Okay. The only boyfriend I've ever had was Alan Green in fifth year. We dated for about a month, and I think actually spent time together twice. The topic of sleeping together never came up. I'm just … usually you shag girls Sirius. You love it. Don't lie," she held up a hand. "And, I'm just wondering. Why are you in this relationship if you don't want to sleep with me?"

"Because –"

"Is it to avoid Marlene? Because you could at least tell me that, because I feel …" Izzy was cut off, as Sirius clutched her around the waist and kissed her firmly.

Izzy surfaced for air and continued to babble. "Am I being ridiculous? I am aren't I? Being ridiculous, I mean?"

"Shh," Sirius held a hand over her lips. "I care about you, Izzy. And usually, in my 'relationships' I shag girls and then dump them. It's horrible and I'm trying to change. With you. So, I'm taking things slowly, because I actually care about you."

"That's what Alice and Lily said," Izzy told him, voice muffled by his hand.

"Well, they're pretty smart aren't they," Sirius chuckled, kissing her once again.

Over on the dance floor, everyone was pretending to twirl around the floor while trying to spy on Sirius and Izzy. "Cane anyone read lips?" James hissed.

"No," Alice sighed. "Damn. I cant tell what's going on."

It was at that point that Sirius leant over and caught Izzy's lips with his own. Lily shook her head fondly. "I think we know what's going on," She laughed, grabbing James by the hand and twirling him away across the dance floor.

Izzy sat in Sirius' arms watching the others dance for awhile. "By the way," Sirius whispered in her ear. "You are one smokin' babe, and I would love to shag you. Just so you know."

Izzy laughed as his breath tickled her ear.

"Ungentlemanly enough for you?"

"Perfect."

"Shall we dance?"

"We shall."

And so, the girl with the long curly hair and pretty dress was whisked away across the dance floor gracefully by the reformed bad boy who was just trying to make it as a gentleman.

* * *

><p>"I'm thirsty!" Izzy shouted over the music as they danced together in a group.<p>

Sirius pushed his hair off his forehead. "Do you want me to come?"

"Nah, stay and bust a move with James," Izzy watched the two boys manically throw themselves across the dance floor.

She laughed to herself as she pushed through the crowded room to get to the table, where she saw a boy with dark hair who looked astonishingly like Sirius laughing with two Slytherins. Izzy steeled herself and went over, grabbing a plastic cup and busying herself with the pouring of her drink.

"Well, heeee-llo," The Sirius look-a-like drawled, grinning. "What do we have here?" He reached out a finger and traced it along her face, down the hair curled over her shoulder. "What's your name, love?"

"None of your business, prick," Izzy muttered, turning away, only to find he had her arm in a tight grip. The room was crowded, and Izzy begged for someone to turn around and see them.

"Ouch," he chuckled appreciatively. "She bites."

"Literally, in a minute," Izzy threatened, cheeks flaming, fury entering her voice.

"Oh," he laughed. "I know who you are! You are dating my _dearest _brother, are you not?" Izzy tried to wrench her arm out his grip as he turned and called, "Bellatrix! Look what I found!"

As the slightly manic looking brunette wobbled over, he leaned in. "I'm Regulus by the way," his breath fanned her ear and she pulled away disgustedly. "Nice to meet you."

"Too bad I can't say the same for you," she laughed breathlessly, as the brunette grabbed her by the chin and dragged the over into a darker corner of the room.

"Well, well, well," Bellatrix grinned. "I've seen you around before."

Regulus twirled a lock of her hair around his finger. "She's my future sister-in-law, Bella."

"Oh how nice," Bellatrix cooed, running her wand down Izzy's arm.

"Get off me, sick tossers," Izzy raged, kicking out her high heeled foot and connecting with Regulus' leg.

He grunted and grabbed it in pain, straightening, a grimace on his face. "He always did like them feisty, mr brother. And Muggle."

"I'm a half-blood," Izzy announced. "And proud of it."

"Well, mind yourself," Regulus sneered, leaning over her. "Sirius may act like the black sheep of the family, but he'll never marry scum like you. It won't happen."

"You don't know anything," Izzy said quietly, a firm edge to her voice.

"Oops," Bellatrix grinned as she tipped her drink all over Izzy. "Bye now, scummy half blood. See you around." She flicked some of Izzy's hair into the sticky mess son her dress with her wand and left.

Regulus let her arm go, red welts forming where his hand had been. "Bye love. Be sure to see you around sometime."

Izzy glared. What the hell? This was the Muggle Studies class! Why did Bellatrix have her wand, the crazy psychopath. Damn right, she'd prank her once she got back to school.

"Hi, there," a red head popped up over one shoulder.

"We saw what happened there," another piped up, appearing at her side.

"Of course." Izzy sighed. "The Prewett twins. How are you, boys?"

"Generally amazing," one started.

"But a little tipsy," the other finished.

Izzy turned to face them wiping her hands over the sticky mess on her chest and dress, blinking away her foolish tears. "Gideon," she pointed to one. "And Fabian?" She guessed.

"Gideon," the one she thought was Fabian piped up cheerily.

"Fabian," he waved a hand.

"Damn," Izzy cursed. "So close."

"Well, it is 50-50."

"Shut up Gideon. Fabian. Prewett. Damn!"

"So," Fabian said. "They were hassling you?"

"No."

"We saw them."

"Sort of." She admitted.

"You're dating Black aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Half blood?"

"Yeah."

Gideon shrugged. "That's why. They're still convinced he's going to 'go to the Dark Side' even though he's in Gryffindor and a fucking legend."

"You know Sirius?" Izzy asked curiously.

"Us and the Marauders?" Fabian laughed incredulously. "Both of us pranking legends at this school?"

"We go way back," Gideon grinned.

"Ah." Izzy said politely.

"Hey!" Sirius pushed through the crowd and took in the spectacle before him. He laughed. "What? Did you two Ginger Idiots spill punch on my girlfriend?"

"Sirius!"

"Padfoot!" The three teens did the manly handshake and Sirius turned to Izzy, dabbing at her with a napkin, lifting up her necklace to get it all.

"What happened?"

"I slipped," Izzy lied, glaring at the Prewett brothers, eyes boring into them until they mimed sipping their lips simultaneously.

"Oh."

"Did you get it all?" Izzy asked.

"Not all of it," Sirius said. Then he grinned devilishly. "I could lick it off your body if you want."

Before Izzy could even blush with embarrassment, Fabian interrupted. "We'll be going now."

"Yeah. Quickly," Gideon agreed and the two comic red heads headed back into the crowd.

Sirius slid his arm around Izzy and she leant into him. "Maybe later." She laughed.

Mary rushed over as a new song started up. "Girl, your boyfriend can dance!"

Izzy giggled. "Can he, now?"

"Come on Sirius, this is our jam!"

Sirius was dragged away by Mary, an apologetic look on his face. "Bye," Izzy called amusedly. She leant up against the wall and Remus came and stood silently next to her. "Don't you love how Mary becomes a strong black woman who don't need no man every-time we go to one of these things?" Izzy joked.

Remus' face was stony. "I saw what happened."

"You too?" Izzy groaned. "Don't tell him."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I don't want to get between him and his family. This is my problem."

"They're going to keep hassling you."

"I can protect myself." She snapped mutinously. "Just don't tell, alright? If I want to, I will."

"Fine," Remus shrugged. "But I think you should."

"I know." Izzy sighed and took his hands, leading him on to the dance floor. "And you're always right, wise man. I just don't always do what's right."

Remus smiled and shook his head at her antics as he twirled her back into the crowd.

**Reviews please! And don't forget my little survey thingamibob! ****:)**


	19. Startled Deer and Throwing Grapes

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Hi guys! New chapter, finally! So I'm going to mix it up and do some canon, some not, alrighty? **

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: I just want to say, while I have the chance that I love guys. Readers are awesome. You are awesome. Reviewers are awesome too. I love it when you guys review. It literally makes my day. If that makes me a sad cat lady with no cats, then fine. You are my cats, reviewers. So keep it up. **

**I hope I didn't scare you with that. Ha ha. **

**Startled Deer and Throwing Grapes**

That evening was tense in the Potter/Evans household. James dressed smartly in clean clothes and knocked softly on Lily's door. "Lily?"

"Yes," she answered crisply, and James pushed open the door to see her laying cards out on her bed, some with faces on, some with numbers.

"What are you playing?" James asked curiously, coming closer.

"Solitaire," she smiled at his ignorance of Muggle novelties.

"What is it?"

"A card game."

Exploding Solitaire?" He asked, eyes gleaming.

"No, she laughed slightly. "Sorry to disappoint."

They lapsed into a slightly laden silence, and James shifted, clearing his throat. "So … uh… I'm going out."

"With Anna-Lee?" Lily asked, eyes mysteriously flat, rather than her usual sparkle.

"Um, yeah." James winced slightly as he answered.

"Bye then," Lily said sharply, tunring back to her card game, hair a curtain that fell between them.

James didn't have the heart to say anything as he backed out of her neat girlish room and left the apartment, door clicking quietly behind him, guilt settling in his stomach. Why did he feel guilty? After all, he and Lily weren't actually married! He shook his head. He needed to break free of the weird hold this girl had over him.

He met Anna-Lee at a small trendy café in the inner city. She kissed him gently on the cheek, standing on tiptoe in her purple velvet jacket, too small to reach otherwise. "Hello," he greeted awkwardly. Where had the confident James gone, and why had he been replaced by a shy Remus clone?

"Hi," Anna-Lee babbled as they sat at a table. "I really like it here. The food's good. Well, I think it's good. I think I like it here. My friend told me about –"

"It'll be fine," James reassured. How weird was this? An alternate universe where he wasn't the one babbling for a change! He produced flowers from under the table and handed them over. "I got you these," he added unnecessarily.

"Wow, thanks!" Anna-Lee smiled. "Lilies," she observed, placing them down beside her white napkin.

Damn, James cursed to himself_. Did I seriously buy lilies sub-consciously? _

Halfway through their majorly awkward date, scraping forks the only thing to be heard, James dropped his knife with a clatter. "I'm sorry Ann." He said desperately.

"It's Anna," she said forcefully, dropping her fork. "Anna-Lee."

James dropped his head in his hand and loosened his shirt collar. "I'm not actually trying to be a dick," he promised, lifting his head, dark eyes begging her to understand.

Anna-Lee smiled at the sweet confused boy in front of her. "It's the red head, isn't it?"

"Hm?" James snapped to attention.

"Lily? I think that was her name." Anna-Lee laughed slightly. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

"No-" James protested. Then he paused. "Well, … I _was._"

"I wouldn't say _was _so forcefully, Jamesie." Anna-Lee laughed, reminding him very much of Izzy. She lifted up the lilies, and handed them to him. "There you go. Go get her, kid."

James smiled ruefully. "Sorry about this, date – if that's what you would even call it."

"It's fine." Anna-Lee shrugged. "You're pretty hot, but extremely emotionally unavailable."

James grinned. "You're very cool, you know that?"

"Yep." Anna-Lee laughed.

"Come to Hogsmeade sometime, alright?" James stood, grabbing the lilies.

"I will." Anna-Lee's eyes crinkled in amusement. "I expect to see you and Lily together when I do."

James's heart practically soared. "I hope so."

Anna-Lee stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek and whacked him on the arm. "Go on. Get!"

James ran out of the restaurant and hurried home, entering quietly, trying to slow his breathing. "Hi," he called softly. "Lily?"

Lily was sitting on the couch, tears streaming down her face, pulling tissues out of the box, sniffling. "Lily!" James gasped, rushing over and kneeling beside her. "What's wrong?"

She sobbed once, before giving a huge sniff. "Sabrina's going to run off with David, because she doesn't know that Lionel's in love with her!"

James shook his head, bemused, before turning to the TV screen where an Audrey Hepburn movie was playing itself out. "Um-"

"Sorry," Lily sniffed and wiped her eyes. "How was your date?" She asked reluctantly, still unsure of why her stomach dropped when she thought of James and Anna-Lee together.

James sat next to her. "It didn't go that well, actually. I brought these for you." He handed her the lilies. _Well, I brought them_ subconsciously _for her_, he justified.

Lily took the flowers and smiled, tears drying. "Wow. Thanks. Lilies," she observed softly, looking up at him through her hair.

James smiled back at her, and pushed the hair behind her ears, staring into her sparkling green eyes. "I-" But before he could say anything, Lily had leant over and kissed his lips, very softly, before leaning back and staring at him with wide eyes.

"I-" She also started to say something, yet James grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her desperately, a kiss he'd been waiting for, for almost seven years.

After they broke apart, Lily jumped backwards and stood up against the wall, eyes wild. James stood and held out his arms to placate her, like a startled deer. "Oh, God."

James saw her worry and tried to sooth her. "It's fine. We-"

We cant tell anybody about this," she stated firmly. "Ever."

"But-" James was now the hurt one, eyes dark.

"Ever." She repeated forcefully. She turned to leave, before the sight of him, head low in the living room, touched her heart. "Sorry," she said softly, almost going over to touch him, before fleeing to her room.

* * *

><p>Izzy sat in the lounge room, Sirius' head on her lap as an unfamiliar owl flew in the window and lit on the armrest, dropping a letter and staring at her expectantly before turning and flying off. Izzy read the letter quickly, smiling as Sirius watched her, waiting.<p>

"You fail," Izzy said simply, kissing him on the nose.

"What?" Sirius sat up on his elbows.

"It's Anna-Lee. She says she had a date with James and sent him off to Lily halfway through. She also wants to catch up with us next Hogsmeade weekend." Izzy reported.

Sirius lay back and shook his head amusedly. "I was just trying to save Prongs a little heartache. And get him laid," He added.

Izzy rolled her eyes. "They're the perfect couple, Sirius. They just haven't realised it yet."

"Lucky we did." Sirius whispered quietly, pulling her down to him and kissing her gently on the lips.

Izzy smiled. "You're sweet." She kissed him back. "So trying to get in my pants, weren't you?"

"Yep." Sirius chuckled as he kissed her again.

* * *

><p>Their Muggle Studies assignment ended soon afterwards, and Izzy packed up her stuff sadly yet gratefully, because then at least she wasn't living in such close quarters with Sirius that she couldn't keep this secret about his brother and cousin from him. That morning at Hogwarts, Izzy woke early and crept downstairs quietly, attempting not to wake anyone. The Prewett twins and Remus has taken to escorting her to classes. Not only was Sirius getting suspicious, it was starting to annoy Izzy to no end.<p>

No such luck, however, she jumped lightly off the last step and the twins leapt in front of her. "Morning Flynn," Fabian grinned and Gideon just nodded. She spent so much time with them that she could now tell them apart. Fabian had a freckle under his left eye, and Gideon was quieter than his brother, who was older by three minutes.

"Gah," Izzy groaned. "Can't you guys leave me alone?" She pointed to Remus who was sitting on the couch with the Daily Prophet. "You too mister!"

"I've been stuck with Gid and Fab for the past week." Remus told her. "I'm in the same boat as you."

"Hey!" Fabian protested.

"We resent that!" Gideon chuckled.

"Breakfast," Izzy announced. "And if the body guards are coming, then they'd better get a move on."

Fabian and Gideon trailed after her, Remus slower, behind them still reading the newspaper.

In the Great Hall Izzy sat down and grabbed the paper off Remus, to his protests. "Hey!"

"You can do the cross word later, nerd." She stated, grabbing toast with jam as Fabian slid it over from the other side of the table.

"Potions this morning," Gideon groaned, dropping h9is head into his hands.

"We are so going to fail," Fabian predicted. "Heads up!" He shot a grape across the table, and Izzy stared, expecting it to miss.

Not that it did. Gideon lifted up and caught the grape at lightning quick speed, grabbing the platter and sending one shooting across the table at Fabian. "Childish," Izzy muttered, hiding her smile.

"Just wait Isabella" Fabian warned.

"We'll get you to be immature and silly in no time," Gideon promised.

Remus shook his head in disapproval. "We didn't have any luck with Remus," Fabian admitted.

"But's he's a special case," Gideon added, patting Remus on the head.

"Don't," he warned. "Or detention for misconduct in the Hall."

"You wouldn't!" Fabian gasped.

"He would!" Gideon, said, equally as outraged.

They stood simultaneously. "Sorry, Iz. We'll be back to annoy you later, but we can't afford another detention."

"We might send Minnie into cardiac arrest," Gideon laughed as the two boys headed out the door, whistling cheerily.

Sirius entered the Great Hall and observed Izzy and Remus sitting across from each other, laughing and talking animatedly. They'd been spending a lot of time together lately; Sirius remembered before shaking it off. Don't be ridiculous, he told himself. Izzy wouldn't. And neither would Remus. He approached them cheerily. "Hello love!"

"Hi, Sirius!"

"Remus," Sirius nodded, sitting next to him and across from Izzy.

Halfway through breakfast, Izzy grinned and grabbed a grape. "Heads up!" She cheered, flicking it across the table. Sirius' head shot up and he caught in his mouth, grinning widely.

"Damn," she frowned. "It must be a Marauder/Prewett thing."

Sirius grabbed a grape and aimed at her as Izzy widened her mouth. She caught it, and smiled proudly, indulging her childish side, which was so much easier when you were going out with a Marauder. They continued to ct out, taking turns throwing grapes back and forth, many missing and scattering across the floor.

Mary entered with James and Lily in tow. "Oh look," she observed as they sat, pointing to Sirius and Izzy. "It's the childish, immature version of a cute couple feeding each other."

Izzy turned her head. "We resent that." A grape bounced off the side of her head. "Ow. I'm mature, he isn't." she pointed at Sirius before lobbing another grape at him.

Lily rolled her eyes. "A teacher will stop it soon."

Just then, Dumbledore walked past and clapped. "Good shot, he chuckled at Sirius catching two at once. "Go on, Ms Flynn." And with that, Dumbledore opened his mouth and Izzy tentatively chucked one towards her odd Headmaster, unsure of what the protocol was. She missed by a while, and Dumbledore stared disapprovingly. "Put some real muscle into it," he reprimanded.

So she did, and he caught it, going off on his merry way. "Enjoy your day, students!"

"I wouldn't count on it," Mary laughed at Lily's face.

Professor McGonagall Scottish burr cut through the laughter, "Professor!" She ran after Dumbledore, pausing at the Gryffindor table. "Ms Flynn, if I see you behaving like that again …!" She left the threat open to interpretation, heading down to the teacher's table, presumable to give Dumbledore the same threat of punishment.

Izzy turned to Sirius and the two of them burst out laughing along with the rest of the table. Watching Izzy's bright blue eyes crinkle in amusement, her hair falling over her shoulders, he put all thoughts of her and Remus out of his mind. They were just friends. It was Sirius and Izzy that mattered. They were the best couple, in Sirius' opinion. In Izzy's opinion, they would come a close second to James and Lily when those two got together.

Fabian and Gideon walked back in amidst the laughter. "What happened?" They asked simulataneously.

Izzy grinned. "We played your Grape-Throwing game with Dumbledore."

"Damn," Fabian punched Gideon in the arm.

"I told you we shouldn't have left!" Gideon responded.

"All the fun stuff happens around Izzy," Fabian said dejectedly. And Sirius would have to agree.

"That's it," Gideon said. "I'm not leaving your side."

"We're officially leeches," Fabian added.

"You mean you weren't leeches this week?" Izzy wailed of their following her around everywhere.

"You have no idea," the twins grinned evilly.

**I know the assignment ended pretty suddenly, but that storyline was sort of over, and I need my little cpuppets back at Hogwarts :) Anyway, reviews please! Up to the 200 mark!**


	20. Ignorance and Bliss

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: Another chapter. Not sure if I like it or not, but you be the judge!**

Ignorance and Bliss

Izzy sat working alone in the library, as the day was nearing its close. Remus was in the Hospital Wing, recovering from his furry little problem, as James put it. She'd taken him chocolate earlier and had heeded his advice not to go anywhere alone up till now, but heaven forbid Gideon and Fabian enter a library, so she hadn't even asked them. There had been a well broadcasted incident where Madam Pince and Argus Filch had wanted the boys strung up by their ears for some very Muggle firecrackers that had been mysteriously set off in every second study carrel. And that was the last time the Prewett twins were ever seen near the library. Curious …

Izzy sighed, grabbing her massive Potions textbook and heaving it towards her. Dinner was most likely over and she still had a whole roll of parchment to write for Professor Slughorn. Admittedly, it was three weeks late when he demanded the assignment, so she guessed she couldn't really deny him that, could she?

As she worked, the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand up and she shuddered slightly, just before the lamp beside her flickered and then fizzled out. "Damn," Izzy whispered. She really shouldn't be here on her own.

"That's right," A high voice giggled girlishly, and three dark silhouettes circled around her chair as Izzy stood and stepped back, the back of her knees knocking against her chair.

"Bellatrix," Izzy whispered, stepping back into a solid mass that clutched her arms to her sides tightly.

"That's Rodulphus," Bellatrix laughed. "You haven't met him yet."

"Hi Bella," Regulus chuckled slightly/.

"Don't call me that." Izzy said forcefully through gritted teeth.

Izzy craned her head around. Where on earth was Madam Pince? "Hm," Rodulphus grinned, sliding a finger gently up her arm and burying his nose in her hair resting on her neck. "Looks like your brother hasn't bedded this one yet, Reg."

Throughout the haze of fear, Izzy inwardly laughed. Bedded? This was the seventies, people!

Regulus laughed, sneering. "That's odd." He lit up his wand and held it close to Izzy's face. She cringed away from the light, eyes searing with pain. "I guess he really … _cares _about you," he whispered smoothly.

Izzy hated the way the words sounded coming out of his mouth. "He _does!" _She fought against the silent boy's restricting arms.

"Sure," Regulus laughed, grabbing her chin and pulling their faces close together. He looked angry now and Izzy could almost feel the fury in his voice. "One day, my brother will come to his senses, and he will join us. When that happens I want you long gone. You're indulging him in his childish fantasy of not being a Black, do you understand me? Break up with him, Isabella Flynn. Or _real_ harm will come to you."

"No." Izzy's voice was muffled by the way he was holding her chin.

"Yes." He said angrily.

Izzy yelled out wildly and kicked backwards, shocking Rodulphus into letting go. Regulus laughed. "It's fine, Lestrange." He picked Izzy up and pushed her against the wall. He grinned slightly in the dark before pressing his mouth to hers. Izzy felt sick to her stomach, mouth bruised as Regulus gasped and let her go.

"Does that change your mind?" Regulus sneered and wiped his mouth. "Break up with my brother."

"No! You're disgusting," Izzy spat, "And I hate you."

Regulus tightened his grip. "Alright. You can hate me. But you're under my control now and you will do as I say."

"No!"

"Bellatrix," Regulus clicked his fingers and she stepped forward, wand raised.

"_Crucio!" _Izzy dropped and convulsed on the ground, the most pain she ever felt in her life. The time she'd broken her arm at Quidditch times a thousand. The time she'd fallen of her bike, times five hundred, all over her body.

"Enough." Regulus' voice was harsh.

Bellatrix stepped back, breathing hard, eyes wide. Regulus bent down and trailed a finger along her cheek. "Bye love. Remember what I told you."

Izzy whimpered slightly, eyes tightly shut, wondering where Madam Pince was, as if that was even important.

* * *

><p>Sirius leapt off the last step of the dormitories and saw James, Alice and Lily studying what looked to be Charms near the fireplace.<p>

"No!" Lily snapped, rubbing her eyes, frustrated. "The Latin name James! The _Latin _name!"

"I don't know!" James wailed, literally pulling of fistfuls of his own hair.

Sirius decided to cut in before things got too messy. "Hate to interrupt the development of more sexual tension between you two lovebirds, but could anyone tell me where my lovely lady is?"

"Who's this?" James asked curiously. "Izzy?"

"Yes," Sirius replied. "How many lovely ladies do you think I have –"

"Well, back in the day –" James began eagerly.

"Don't answer that." Sirius interrupted abruptly.

"Library," Alice supplied. "Finishing that Potions essay from three weeks ago that even you did."

"Thanks love," He flashed a grin at her and headed out the portrait hole.

"Bad influence, if you ask me," Lily muttered as he departed. James flashed a grin at her. "You too." She added hastily.

In the corridor, Sirius met the Prewett twins heading towards him, deep in conversation until he approached. "Hey mate," Fabian greeted uneasily.

"Whats up?" He asked curiously.

Gideon shifted nervously. "Someone set off a Darkness Dart in the corridor near the library, and when it cleared they found Madam Pince, Stunned."

"And it wasn't us!" Fabian defended hotly.

"Was it a Marauder job?" Gideon asked, _sotto voce. _

"Nah mate," Sirius said easily. "We've been laying low. Plus, we steer clear of the library. We aren't complete amateurs, after all."

"Shits going to get hung on us for this," Gideon predicted darkly as the red heads shuffled off down the corridor. Sirius watched them leave before breaking into a jog heading to the library. Izzy was there after all, and he didn't have a good feeling about this supposed prank. If it wasn't the Marauders or Prewetts, it wasn't going to be good.

Seeing as he technically wasn't supposed to be in the corridors at this time of night, he made his way carefully around to the library entrance, stepping through the last traces of artificial darkness in the air. The library was dark as Sirius tentatively entered, catching sight of Izzy's Muggle Beatles bag hanging off the back of a study carrel. He quickly pushed through the desks in the unusually dark cavernous room, heart in his throat, not seeing Izzy's dark head of hair over books that lay abandoned on the one badly lit table. "Izzy," he whispered. "Love? You there?"

As he approached the table, Sirius saw what he imagined to be his worst nightmare. Izzy lying, tucked away under the side of the table, sprawled on her side, hair fanned out, neck and face pale, eyes shut, body lifeless.

"No, no, no, no," the word rang in his ear as it escaped from his mouth, bending over his girlfriend lying prone and still next to him, his hands were shaking, and they fluttered over her, unsure of what to do.

"Shit, no!" Sirius stood and scooped Izzy easily into his arms, gasping breaths shaking his body. He ran quickly out of the library, disregarding her books, the light weight of the girl bouncing in his arms as he headed straight to the Hospital Wing.

When he burst in, gasping, the place was silent and serene. Madam Pince, asleep, was on one bed, and Remus was sitting up doing the crossword, a puzzled look on his face. "Sirius!" He gasped.

"Where the bloody hell is Madam Pomfrey?" He demanded breathlessly, skidding to a stop. Remus pointed to the left and a bustling nurse emerged, wiping her hands. "I'm right here Mr Black. Watch your – Oh my!" She'd caught sight of Izzy and rushed forward guiding him to lay her on the bed, brow furrowed as she surveyed her.

Remus came and stood next to him, a hand on his shoulder, before Madam Ponfrey turned to grab her kit. "Mr Lupin," she snapped. "Get back to bed."

Remus scowled and returned sullenly, watching them closely from his sick bed.

"Mr Black. What happened?"

"I don't know!" Sirius was frantic. "I went to get her from the library but it was dark and she was unconscious! Is she alright? She has a pulse! I checked!"

Madam Pomfrey pushed him gently backwards. "She's alive. And if you let me work, she'll stay that way."

Sirius dropped into a chair, elbows on knees intensely staring at his girlfriend, lying still under Madam Pomfrey's working hands.

"Hm." A few minutes later Madam Pomfrey looked up worriedly, holding up Izzy's wrists. She manipulated them into turning towards Sirius, sighing. "The Cruciatus Curse. You can tell by the markings here. And here."

Sirius trailed his fingers over the raised, nearly purple marks. "Who … who… why would someone do that?" In a fit of uncharacteristic rage, Sirius moved and kicked the bedpost, angrily.

Madam Pomfrey gently manoeuvred him away from the bed, calming his shaking shoulders. "Go get some rest Mr Black. Come back in the morning. I must get to work."

"No." Sirius set his chin stubbornly. "If Remus can stay, so can I."

Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes in synchronicity with Remus. "That's different." She snapped crossly. "He's a patient."

Sirius sat defiantly, crossing his arms and potuing like a four year old.

Madam Pomfrey defiantly threw up her hands. "Fine! We're wasting time."

Pomfrey set to work, long into the night. He sat in the uncomfortable chair, eyes never leaving Izzy's face, as if that would make her better.

Remus moved to the bed beside hers, and kept watch until at two a.m. he fell asleep. Sirius didn't.

He was awake for seven a.m., when Madam Pomfrey rested a hand on Izzy's shoulder and sighed. "She'll be alright. She just needs rest."

Madam Pomfrey washed her hands and bustled into her office, no doubt to collapse. Sirius sat on the edge of the bed, clutching Izzy's cool hand as Madam Pomfrey popped her head back in. "If she wakes, fetch me immediately."

Sirius nodded distractedly and Remus tiredly watched him through bleary eyes, seeing the caring attitude present in Sirius' eyes that Remus had never been witness to before. Sirius watched Izzy's eyes flutter behind closed lids. He sat with her until nine a.m. when, after Madam Pomfrey's nap, she kicked him out, rather harshly.

"Watch over her," Sirius ordered of Remus as he left.

Sirius found Peter, James, Alice, Lily and Mary in the Great Hall, eating and laughing, blissful in ignorance.

Alice laughed as he approached. "You look like shit, Sirius! You and Izzy never came back last night. Getting it on in the library, huh?"

James laughed too as Sirius sat down beside him, heavily dropping his head on the table. "What?" Lily asked curiously.

"She … She," His voice was raw with emotion. "She's in the Hospital Wing."

"Why?" Lily asked desperately as James clutched her hand comfortingly.

Sirius was tired and he tried to wade through the mud of his tired brain. "Because … she-Madam Pomfrey said someone had performed the … Cruciatus Curse on her. But who would do that to her?"

He dropped his head on the table as Gideon and Fabian arrived. "Who would do what?" the latter asked.

"To who?" Gideon finished.

James answered, because Sirius looked completely wiped out. "Izzy's been hurt by the Cruciatus Curse. She's in hospital."

Fabian and Gideon stared at each other for a few seconds before getting up and hurrying out of the hall, whispering to each other. "Weird," James commented. "Well come on! Let's go see her."

The friends trooped up the stairs and waved to Remus as they all crowded around Izzy's bed.

"Is she okay?"

"She will be."

"She looks so …"

"I know."

"Who did it?" Alice asked nervously, touching Izzy's exposed ankle.

"I don't know," Madam Pomfrey announced. "But I should say they will be expelled without hesitation."

Mary snuggled in with Remus, and everyone settled in. Madam Pomfrey simply rolled her eyes. "I've sent for Dumbledore. He'll get you sorted."

Sirius sat down and almost forget everyone was there, rubbing his rough thumb over Izzy's smooth cheek. "Wake up Iz." He sighed. "Please. Because … I don't know if it's the delirious tiredness or something but I think … that I love you."

The entire group had a silent shocked quality about it as Izzy's eyes fluttered slightly eyelashes waving a little. She jerked slightly, eye flickering open, a small smile on her lips. "You need a shave," she whispered, running a hand along his cheekbone.

"Don't scare me like that again," Sirius said firmly as the group of seventh years converged upon the bed, well wishes flowing over Izzy like old friends.


	21. Love and Scars

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: It's been a while, but I hope you enjoy this. Btw, I love you all. I've never had more than 200 reviews for a story before. This is totally epic. :)**

**Love and Scars**

After her friends had all stepped back, smiling, Izzy hugged Sirius, tears in the corners of her eyes, wondering what she should say to the statement she'd heard Sirius make before she'd opened her eyes. James nudged Sirius, sending him sprawling him over the bed. "So, Sirius?"

"What Prongs?" Sirius asked crossly, turning away from his girlfriend unwillingly.

"Don't you want to tell our Isabella something?" Remus added suggestively.

Sirius turned back, and cupped Izzy's face in his hands. "I – Isabella. I l-"

"I heard you," Izzy whispered, clutching his wrist.

"That's cool," Sirius chuckled. "Just interrupt my adoring declaration, why don't you?"

"Sorry," Izzy laughed. "Continue, please."

Sirius turned around at the friends staring avidly at the unfolding scene. "Do you mind?"

"Oh."

"Sorry."

"We saw you the first time," Alice commented.

"Hmph," Izzy cleared her throat.

"Oh, right." They all turned away and pretended to be engrossed in something else.

"Isabella, Izzy, Belle, love," Sirius began. "I love you. And I want you to know that."

Izzy sighed and pulled his face to hers. "I love you too Sirius."

He kissed her gently, and the group of friends had all turned back. "Aw." They sighed in unison and James grinned. "Doesn't Belle mean beautiful in French?"

"Dunno mate," Sirius responded, smoothing Izzy's hair down her back, turning to face James. "But this is my Belle, for sure."

James furrowed. "Who knew you could be such a cute bastard?"

"Not me," Izzy laughed, crossing her legs and letting Alice cuddle in on her other side.

"Alice!" Sirius protested. "Ruin a moment."

"My specialty," she laughed, pushing him gently in the arm.

Izzy sat with her friends for a while, talking and laughing, Sirius sitting with her on the bed, legs kicked up next to hers, tucked under his arm. Izzy successfully managed to avoid the topic of who hurt her and how it happened for a few minutes, until the Prewett boys burst in. "Izzy!" The two boys yelled, skidding to a stop at the end of her bed. They couldn't stop rambling for a few seconds.

"We shouldn't have left you alone!"

"We're sorry!"

"What happened?"

"Are you alright?"

"I should be asking you that!" Izzy clucked like an over-protective mother, beckoning the boys closer and looking at the black eyes and cuts the boys had on their faces, probing them gently with her cool fingers.

"We're fine!" Fabian brushed her off, wincing as her finger brushed a cut.

"This has something to do with what happened, doesn't it?" Sirius sat back. "Come on Izzy. I told you I loved you. You tell me what happened."

Izzy paled. "You can't use that as a bargaining chip."

"Even so!" Sirius protested. "You can't keep this from me." He looked around the room. "Who knows? Go on, I know some of you do!"

And like they were in school, Fabian, Gideon and Remus raised their hands ashamedly, heads bowed. Izzy bunched up her hospital gown and sat, elbows on knees, embarrassedly. "Sirius, I …"

He stood, throwing up his hands, embarrassed that his girlfriend who he'd just told he loved, in front of anyone, had confided in three of his closest friends, yet not him. "Tell me why Izzy! Why them, and not me?"

"Sirius, don't!" Izzy said, a pained expression on her face.

"Tell. Me."

"No. I cant."

"Cant or don't want to?" The tension radiating from the couple was so intense that James actually wanted to leave the room.

"Should we …?" He began, gesturing towards the door.

"No!" Izzy and Sirius barked.

"Just tell me Izzy! It was an Unforgivable Curse! Why are you trying to protect the bastards that tired to kill you?"

"Because," Izzy said, tears running down her face. "Because," she sobbed. "It was your brother."

Sirius sat heavily down on a wooden chair. "Wh-what?"

Izzy looked incapable of speaking so Fabian and Gideon took over. "We saw her at the dance," Fabian said.

"Regulus and Bellatrix were hassling her," Gideon told Sirius.

"We tried to protect her, Sirius," Fabian promised.

"We went with her everywhere."

"Yeah, everywhere!" Gideon reinforced.

"Except the library," Fabian agonised. "And we shouldn't have left her, but …"

Sirius held up a hand. "It's alright. My brother's, well …"

Remus sighed. "I knew too. I wanted her to tell you, but …"

"Yeah," Izzy said, tears drying. "I know everyone thought I should tell him, but it's harder than you think."

"Why did," Sirius' mouth twisted into a grimace, "My brother, hurt you?"

"He wants you," Izzy paused. "To stop dating a half-blood, and to be a 'Black.'" She used air-quotation marks.

Sirius shook his head disgustedly. "I have to go and have a chat to my little brother."

Once he'd left, Izzy dropped her head in her hands. "Oh. I've fucked everything up. Again."

Lily stepped forward. "Iz," She said softly.

"Thanks Lily," Izzy said. "But I'd really like to be alone."

Everyone filed out past her, dejectedly. Everyone except the Prewett twins, sitting on the end of her bed, grinning. "Boys," she said tiredly. "I'm not in the mood. I've been hit by an Unforgivable, my head's pounding, my hospital gown has a slit right up the back that is almost pornographic and my boyfriend's gone to start a family feud over me. I don't need this right now."

"Well," Fabian said.

"Technically we're injured," Gideon pointed at his eye.

"So we can stay," Fabian finished.

"Wanna talk about it?" Gideon asked casually.

Izzy groaned, pulling the covers over her head. "I'm going to sleep! Or die!"

"We'll be waiting!" They sang in unison, far too cheerful for her liking.

* * *

><p>"My fucking family!" Sirius cursed to himself, storming down the stairs and bursting through the Great Hall doors. "Bellatrix! Regulus!" He bellowed, marching over, pulling his wand from his robes and letting it dangle loosely from his hands.<p>

Regulus stood, smiling smoothly like the sewer rat he was, hair much the same as Sirius', robes carelessly open. "Brother," he greeted appreciatively. "Nice of you to join the sane."

"Don't call me brother," Sirius threatened, lifting his wand and pointing viciously. Bellatrix giggled wildly. "And I don't know who you think is sane, but it's not her!" He added.

Bellatrix pouted. "Cousin, please. Love and harmony, boys, love and harmony."

Sirius growled, frustrated. "What the fuck is with our family?" He asked. The blonde, fair narcissi Black sat a ways down the table, staring at her twisting hands. "Hi Cissy," he greeted.

"Hello," she greeted quietly, lifting a hand, not willing to openly choose Sirius over her relatives, especially seeing as she was in Slytherin, yet not wanting to disregard her Slytherin mates who she had to spend every day with.

Sirius didn't mind his cousin Narcissa Black. She was quiet, and Lucius Malfoy had for some reason taken a liking to her, but he didn't believe she was all bad, unlike her psychotic sister. "What do you want?" Bellatrix squealed.

"I want to know why my brother Crucio'ed my girlfriend." Sirius asked through gritted teeth. "Classy move, by the way, Reg."

Regulus grinned, baring white straight teeth. "You'll have to ask Bella about that one."

Sirius turned on his curly haired cousin. "You." He accused bluntly.

"Me." She laughed. "Come on Siri, the scummy half-blood deserved it. I know you like to chase tail, but try to keep it pureblood, if you will."

"Shut up." Sirius commanded, looking as if he was trying not to kill Bellatrix with his bare hands.

Baiting, Bellatrix continued. "You are a Black, I'm sure Slytherin girls would over look –"

"Shut up." Sirius said again. "I love Izzy and she loves me. I'm never going to be as Slytherin as you want me to be, and I will never succumb to your creepy psychopathic idea of 'pureblood royalty.' So just fuck off and leave me alone."

Bellatrix stepped forward as sparks shot from Sirius' wand warningly, singing a hole in Bellatrix's cloak. "And don't come near my girlfriend." He added sharply, storming off.

Regulus looked flushed. "Father will hear about this!" He yelled pompously.

"That's right," Sirius waved him off as he swept along the table. "Go crying to Daddy!" At the end of the table, he looked back. "Bye Cissy!" He called, waving

Bellatrix rushed over to Narcissa, reprimanding her while fiddling with the small singed hole in her cloak.

* * *

><p>Once Sirius had calmed down, (he'd spent the entire day of classes smoking and throwing things off the Astronomy Tower) he steeled himself and went back to the Hospital Wing, wondering if he and Izzy should just both apologise to each other and move on. If that was even possible now.<p>

Yet when he arrived, Izzy was asleep, curled around the embarrassingly garish blue stuffed toy that Sirius and James had conjured up here for her.

He sat heavily down in a chair and watched her chest rise and fall with each breath, a large mysterious scar running from one shoulder to her hip, visible through the slit in her nightgown. He sighed. What should he do? He loved this girl, very much, but what if Regulus and Bellatrix didn't let up? What if once she got out into the world she was targeted because of Sirius the Turncoat? Was he that selfish that he would foolishly endanger her life because he liked having her around?

Would it be better to simply let her go and live a happy normal life away from all his dramas? Let her go and play Quidditch, be friends with James, maybe go back to dating Alan Green? In no danger of being killed by Sirius' wacky relatives?

Who was he kidding? Sirius was a selfish man, clearly. And Alan Green was a dick, who he hated so that wasn't going to happen. He dropped his head into his hands. When had life gotten so hard? When had it stopped being parties, Firewhiskey and girls? When had it become so real?

Izzy rolled towards him and stretched out flexibly, elongating her limbs, sighing contentedly. She opened one eye and stared blearily at him. "No injuries?" She asked sleepily, half in what she imagined was a dream.

"None." Sirius said, trying to keep his tone light, spreading his arms. Yet, he added silently.

Izzy smiled, eyes closed, pushing her hair off her forehead. He crawled on to the bed with her, and ran his hand down the raised scar on her back. "What's that?" He asked quietly.

"Nothing," Izzy mumbled as she fell asleep again, hand going slack in Sirius' hand. Sirius stroked her hair back from her face and quit kidding himself. He couldn't let this girl go, even if he'd wanted to.

**Like? Love perhaps? I made Narcissa sort of neutral because of the whole nice to Harry thing in the last movie. She can't be ALL bad, right?**


	22. Trust and First Times

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Sorry for the wait!**

Trust and First Times

Izzy pulled on her denim shorts and a white free flowing singlet shirt. She surveyed her line of shoes beside her bed and ignored them, pulling her long brown hair through her fingers, pushing her fringe to one side. It was the first day of summer and she really hoped Sirius had come back from the week he'd had away. A relative of his had died, and he'd spent the week with his family. When she crept down the stairs, she saw exactly who she wanted to see sitting on an armchair, staring into space.

"Sirius," She said tentatively, touching his shoulder. She reminded herself that even though he and his family didn't get along, one of them had just died and he must be hurting.

Sirius looked around as if he weren't really seeing, looking at the girl in the flowing white top in front of him. His eyes cleared as he saw the small pretty girl in front of him, and he realised, despite the uncertainty, the bravado, and the excitement that may have made him say that he loved this girl, he realised he did. He loved Isabella Flynn with all his heart. He stood and she stood not a metre from him, staring. "Hello."

She didn't respond, but took his hand in hers, gently.

Sirius couldn't do anything gently, he grabbed her face in his rough hands and kissed her passionately, running his hands through her hair, up her back, catching in her white singlet, body pressing against hers eagerly, hands clutching at her waist. Izzy pulled her mouth away, her hair tickling his cheek, "haven't shaved in a while?" She smiled, linking her hands around his neck. She hooked her legs around his waist, jumping up so she was taller than him.

He smiled against her lips. "Miss me?"

"Always," she whispered. "Are you okay?"

He ignored her kissing her on the forehead, each cheek, her lips, her eyelashes, and her neck. Since spending the week with his brother and wacky family he'd realised how much he missed his girl. "Want to go somewhere?"

"Sure," Izzy whispered, sliding down his legs and tucking herself under his arm. They crawled out of the portrait hole and made their way outside. Halfway down the winding path around the grounds, Sirius kissed Izzy on the cheek and started to walk away. "Wait here, I just have to go and…well, go to the boat house and I'll meet you there."

Izzy nodded and wound her way down to the boat house, warm breeze ruffling her hair, squidging her bare feet into the grass and then stepping on to the wooden board walk that went straight through to the boathouse. She sat at the very edge, and dangled her feet into the water.

It was odd. Sirius had only been back for a few minutes and they hadn't really spoke that much. It was quiet, not their usual banter, but everything felt more intense, like she was living in technicolour. Maybe it was summer. She hugged her knees to her chest. Yeah. It was summer.

"Love?" Sirius called, walking in through with a basket and a picnic blanket slung over his arm. Izzy stood and made her way over, curling her toes.

"What have you got there?" Izzy asked, sitting down on the picnic blanket Sirius splayed just inside the boathouse door, sun and shadows half over the blanket.

"Cherry pie from the kitchens," Sirius winked. "Personally I hope the Slytherins miss out."

Izzy smiled and they shared the pie, feeding each other in that cutesy way they'd promised they never would. Izzy lay on Sirius chest after, tilting her head up and kissing him.

Sirius sat up, still oddly quiet. "I want to take you somewhere."

"Where?"

"Just somewhere," He shrugged and pulled her up.

"I don't have shoes."

"Doesn't matter."

"Are we leaving the school?"

"Yeah."

"We aren't allowed."

"It's the weekend. We aren't missing classes. We'll be back."

"Okay," Izzy shrugged. "I cant Apparate yet, so …"

Sirius grabbed her hand and pulled her into the oblivion of that dimension between there and not there. Izzy stumbled as she landed on the grass, unruly shrubs covering the footpath that led up to a large but decrepit old house. The trees hung over the dirty balcony, paint peeling back off the weatherboard, but still an impressive two-storey structure that covered the sky.

He led her inside, they were hand in hands, as Sirius spoke. "This was my Uncle Alfie's place. James calls it the Crap Shack, but I'm glad one of my relatives had something to give me. I liked that old codger."

Izzy smiled. The house was dark, furniture covered by dustcovers, rails dusty, floor creaking and old. Somehow, she imagined something big to come of this visit, yet she wasn't sure what. She leant against the doorframe to what looked like the parlour, and smiled, pulling him close to her. He kissed her gently, and Izzy all of a sudden felt more alive, like there were more sensations in the world that she had to feel, to experience.

Sirius grinned. "What say you?"

"Don't joke," Izzy giggled quietly, as he kissed her neck hungrily.

"Never," he growled, hot breath fanning her ear. His hips pressed against hers, and she knew that something big was about to happen, because she was going to make it happen.

"I want … you to … shag me," Izzy articulated her desire in staggered words, breathing heavily.

Sirius looked askance at her, and she nodded. From his picnic basket he produced the blanket, and laid it out on the floor. "Here?" he asked, almost shyly, which was odd for the 'Shagster.'

Izzy nodded, lips pursed, hands behind her back in a girlish pose.

Sirius self-consciously laid out the red woollen blanket, and they stood at either end, as if in some kind of face off. Sirius slowly pulled off his shirt, and Izzy slipped off her shorts, standing in nothing but her white singlet and black boy shorts.

Sirius returned by taking off his jeans and kicking them to one side. She pulled her top over her head, struggling with it as it caught her hair, but Sirius didn't step forward. He stared at the amazing woman that was his girlfriend, and the sight of her nearly drove him wild.

They met in the middle of the blanket, kissing wildly, and Sirius lowered them to the floor, Izzy's legs wrapped around his waist. He looked at her with hungry eyes, and she blushed. "I cant." She whispered softly. "I really cannot … be naked in front of you."

Sirius looked her straight in the eye. "Why?"

"I don't know," Izzy ducked her head down in between his arm wrapped around her and his strong shoulder. "I have no idea."

"Just tell me why," Sirius urged. "You have nothing to be afraid of. I … love everything about you."

Izzy furrowed her brow. "I've never done this, Sirius. I don't do this. I mean, how am I going to compare to all the other girls you've shagged?"

"You don't," Sirius said emphatically and then he backtracked, realising how utterly dickhead-esque he sounded. "You're a whole other thing!" He swept his hands up to encompass the whole of her. "You're this amazing girl with great hair and pink cheeks and your eyes sparkle, you play a mean game of Quidditch and you've somehow turned cherry pie into an awkwardly sexual experience for me."

Izzy snorted. "And you do that!" He said. "You're such an elegant girl, I guess, but you can have so much fun and I love that too." He whispered the last part in her ear, and Izzy shivered.

Sirius pushed her off his lap, and stood them both up. His slid off his boxer shorts and stood there bashfully, nude. "Your turn," He gave a small smile.

Izzy blushed and ran on the spot, face in her hands. "I'm so …"

"Trust." Sirius said simply. "I'm standing here naked in front of you. I trust you. Do you trust me?"

Izzy looked at him, and the laughter and awkwardness melted away and she was just standing there in her bra and knickers with someone she trusted. She pulled off the last vestiges of her clothing, shedding them like a skin, looking up at him through her hair.

Sirius lifted his hands, gesturing towards her. "See?" He shook his head, a smile gracing his lips.

"What?" Izzy said self-consciously, crossing her arms over her chest. "Sirius Orion Black, so help me God, I will get dressed right now …!"

"You're amazing." Sirius walked forward in two leaping bounds and grabbed her, arms wrapped around her, her legs wrapped around him in turn.

"Let's um …" Izzy gasped.

Sirius agreed whole-heartedly, an animal moan escaping as he kissed her neck. He lowered them on to the blanket, Izzy beneath him, and he marvelled at her and the ease at which their bodies fit together.

"Sirius?"

"Yeah," he groaned, pushing himself up on his elbows, disengaging his hands from her hair, propping himself up.

"I know what I said about … this," Izzy said uncertainly. "But I don't ... I need you to …"

"Right. You alright?"

"Yes, I want to, but …" her breathing was shallow, coming in short little gasps as she could feel the heat from his body so close to hers, radiating desire.

Sirius stopped and hovered above her. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, I just…" Izzy hated herself. She loved Sirius, she did. She had no idea while all of a sudden her mind was going a thousand miles an hour yet he seemed totally utterly, quietly fine.

"We'll go slowly, if that's what you want." He murmured softly, combing his fingers through her hair.

"Just … what are you thinking this very moment?" Izzy burst out

"Uh…" Sirius paused. He really didn't think what he was thinking was appropriate to share with a lady.

"Did you know this was going to happen when we came here?" Izzy was still clutching the back of his neck, twirling his hair through her fingers.

"No, no, no." Sirius hurried to deny it. He didn't want her thinking this was his Love Shack or something.

"You never thought about it?" Izzy couldn't decide if she wanted him to have thought about it or not. And it was driving her crazy, the nervousness, and excitement.

"God Iz. I've thought about it. A _lot_."

"Never mind, I just…. I don't know! I talk too much."

He responded by kissing her neck, and she groaned. "Ugh, so you have nothing to say? Not one thing to contribute?"

Sirius sat up and turned away from her, resting his elbow on his knee. Izzy continued. "I'm going crazy here, but you have not one thing to say?"

"Uh …" Sirius was still staring away from her.

"Oh god," Izzy sighed. "I need to shut up. I wanted everything to be amazing, but …"

She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I love you," Sirius said quietly, stoically staring off into the distance. Izzy pressed her face into his back. "Did you know that?"

"I know." Izzy whispered.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," Sirius said quietly.

"I – I want to." Izzy smiled at him, and he lay her back down, Izzy letting go of her worries in care-free abandon.

Here it is. The awkwardly dreaded yet highly awaited sexy-time moment between Sirius and Izzy. I don't want to write smut, yet I didn't want to leave it as "…and they made love."

**Yech. Anyway, I'm sick, so I put on a movie, and feeling inspired by the hotness of Ryan Gosling I wrote this chapter. I hope you enjoy, please review!**


	23. Crap Shacks and Bundles

**_Bedlam and Broomsticks_**

**A/N: I hope you like this one! **

**Crap Shacks and Bundles**

Izzy rolled over, cocooning herself into the red blanket, turning to face the sun streaming in through bay windows that Sirius must have opened. She turned quickly, jerking like a mermaid out of water, her legs tightly wrapped up in the woollen throw. No, Sirius wasn't lying on the other side of her either.

Little No Longer a Virgin Isabella Flynn sat up, pulling the throw tighter around her shoulders. This wasn't a good sign, was it, when you woke up and your boyfriend was gone after the first time you had sex? Never mind, she sighed, standing up, stretching her legs and lifting her arms above her head, letting the blanket fall away. She shouldn't read too much into it.

She pushed her messy hair behind her ears and shuffled into the kitchen, all wrapped up once again. Not there, either. But there was a daisy sitting on the counter, and a mug of still steaming coffee. Everything in the kitchen looked grossly not taken care of. She sighed, Sirius didn't know how to clean and make things look pretty. She'd have to help him. Tentatively taking a sip of the coffee she smiled. So sweet a spoon could stand straight in it. Just the way she liked it.

She continued her shuffle throughout the house, or rather out of it. She pushed open the security door at the end of the kitchen, dust motes flying off it, and stepped out on to the dewy grass, looking up at the overgrown but large garden. Izzy grinned. She'd never been one for maternal fantasies, but she could picture a few children here just fine. Then she frowned. Oh god. She was a clingy after sex girl, wasn't she? She was already picturing children here! She had to stop, play it cool, smooth and calm. Cool, calm, collected.

She made her way to Sirius, sitting on a pile of bricks, cigarette dangling from the left side of his lips. His eyes looked darker than usual, and sad. She stood between his legs, leaning forward. "'Morning."

Sirius looked up as if he'd only just noticed her. He grinned, kissing her ears, her cheeks, her forehead. "Do you know this hasn't stopped me wanting to shag you?"

"Beg pardon?" Izzy asked, looking up at him through her lashes.

Sirius turned her and pulled her on to his lap, blanket still securely tucked over her. He rested his chin on her shoulder. "It's made me want you more. If that's even possible," he added as an after thought.

Izzy laughed, almost shocked at herself. "We could, um… do it again?" She offered shyly.

Sirius smiled into her shoulder. "Don't you need to regain your strength? I need to regain my strength. Come on, let's make pancakes."

He chattered quickly and incessantly, as if he didn't want to let gaps form, silences reign over their moments together. Izzy wondered why, as she watched him cheekily Summon eggs, and other ingredients they needed for pancakes from the neighbour's house.

"I'll pay them back," he smiled as he began whisking things together in a bowl. Izzy smiled at the ease with which he moved around the kitchen. The authority he commanded was very … hot. She shook her head. Maybe she was going to be a sex addict now that she'd waited so long to give it up to Sirius Black.

"I'm going to get dressed," she announced, but Sirius blocked the doorway to where her clothes were lying in a heap on a footstool.

"No, don't," he pleaded cheekily.

"Why not?" She asked curiously.

Sirius peeked down the blanket that was still wrapped around her small yet curvy form. "Because now that I've seen you naked I cant ever let you get dressed again." Maybe Sirius was the sex addict here. Yeah, that sounded like a more likely story.

Izzy laughed. "Be serious," she demanded, still trying to get past him, through the doorway.

"I always am," he said suavely, grabbing her around the waist and dipping her nearly to the floor.

"Whoa," she exclaimed, righting herself with some difficulty. "Your pancakes are burning, I think," she told him with a straight face.

Sirius frantically and indecisively moved between Izzy and the pan. Eventually he chose the sizzling pancakes, flipping them with ease. Izzy shot out the door and pulled on a bra and her black boy shorts, leaving the denim shorts lying carelessly on the stool, pulling the white singlet over her head.

She shed the blanket and walked back into the kitchen, taking a plate of pancakes from Sirius with a cheeky grin. "That, I can handle," he smiled, pinching her waist as she walked by him.

"Let's eat outside."

Sirius agreed. "I'll be right there. Just let me put a shirt on."

"Why?" Izzy laughed, care free. "The neighbours might think we're nudists?"

"How do you know I'm not?" Sirius wrestled to get his shirt on as they re-sat themselves on the dusty pile of bricks, surveying the entire house. He shoved nearly a whole pancake in his mouth, looking content. They lapsed into happy silence

"This place is amazing," Izzy sighed.

"It's a bit old," He commented. "But I'm going to fix it up," he said firmly.

"Can I help?" Izzy asked eagerly. "I think it should be a creamy yellow, with daisies everywhere, and a swing chair, and a library!"

"Sounds good," Sirius agreed.

"So we'll do it?" Izzy asked. And as she asked, she wondered if she wasn't just talking about the house, but their entire future together.

"Promise," Sirius replied, fiddling with her hair.

"Awesome," Izzy announced. She took their empty plates back into the kitchen, and somehow, after a bunch of giggling, fumbling and thumps, they ended up back in the old-fashioned parlour room on the red woollen blanket.

* * *

><p>Perhaps three hours later, a drowsy Izzy rolled over, the sun that had been streaming in on her gone, splaying her hands on Sirius' chest. He looked down at her, eyes melancholy. "We should get back."<p>

Izzy sighed, smiling drowsily. "Sirius suddenly cares about classes, eh?"

"Classes, not so much," Sirius kissed her button nose lightly. "The start of summer party I have to plan? That, I care about."

"Well," Izzy winked. "I have a sex god I'd like to shag."

Sirius conspiratorially whispered in her ear. "I have a lovely sex goddess that I would also like to shag, but it might get her expelled if we stay much longer, and then I wouldn't get to spend any time with her."

"Sad face," Izzy pouted and stretched, reaching for clothes she'd shed for the second time a few hours before.

She folded up the red throw carefully and tucked it into the picnic basket. As they walked outside, hand in hand, Izzy turned back, shielding her eyes from the sun. "When I think of Uncle Alphie's Crap Shack," Sirius sighed. "I'll think of sex. Thanks for that, Iz."

"No problem." Izzy laughed, skipping down the red brick path.

"You've ruined that and cherry pie for me, you dirty girl," Sirius mocked, as he tugged on her hand to Apparate and they landed on the outskirts of the Hogwarts grounds, starting a long trek back up to the castle.

"Thanks Sirius," Izzy sighed as they pushed open the doors to the Entrance Hall, walking into the darkened room.

"For what?"

"Everything," she sighed, putting an arm about his waist as they climbed the stairs to the common room.

"Think I can borrow your bra, now?" Sirius joked, tugging on the end of her hair.

"Nice try," she sneered at him.

"That's attractive," He laughed. "Speaking of which," he ran a large hand over her hair. "It's a bit, well …"

"I have sex hair," Izzy sighed dramatically. "Don't I?" Then she brightened. "Ah well, I've never had sex hair before," she laughed, pulling Sirius uup the stairs, laughing at his almost shock at her mood changes.

"Thus puts an end to the virgin jokes," Sirius sighed, acting melancholy.

"Thus?" Izzy questioned. "You literary god!"

Srius shrugged. "What can I say?"

"The password," The Fat Lady cut in as they stopped at her portrait.

"Nitwit," Izzy said pleasantly.

"How dare you?" The Fat Lady drew herself up. "The children of today-no respect!"

"That's the password," Sirius explained, looking bored.

"Oh, well," The Fat Lady blushed and swung open. "Go on in then," she muttered crossly.

"Bonkers," Sirius mouthed as they crawled through to the common room. "She does that every time." He said at a normal volume. "We need to change the password or she'll go into cardiac arrest."

Izzy laughed. "Leave her be! She's old."

"I can hear you!" The Fat Lady sang out, annoyed, her voice muffled.

"Oops," Izzy mouthed as Sirius and she looked at each other guiltily, silent laughter escaping them.

They turned from their chuckles to face their two friendship groups sitting as one, spread across armchairs and the floor. "Well, well, well," James greeted, scarily calm. "Where have you two been?"

"There's a weird meeting the parents parallel going on here," Sirius whispered into Izzy's ear. "And James is your scary father. I can almost picture him twirling his moustache."

Alice looked cross as she stood. "Oh, stop talking dirty to each other!" She demanded. She yanked Izzy by the arm, and Lily followed, glaring meaningfully at Sirius.

"We need to have a serious talk with you." Lily added, portraying doom in their little scenario.

Mary stood and met eyes with Sirius. "Watch it, boy."

Sirius raised his hands in surrender and flopped down on the couch next to James. "Why are the girls being scary?"

James grinned. "You shagged didn't you? Shagged like fucking rabbits."

Sirius paused for a minute. He had no idea how his friend knew that, but Izzy was probably spilling her guts to the girls, so why couldn't he? "Yeah baby!" He high-fived him, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Childish," he commented. "Does sex mean nothing to you, Sirius?"

"I don't know Moony," Sirius winked.

"I'm going to ignore those creepy underlying messages," Remus stated. "And just read."

"Good idea," James chuckled. "So, at the Crap Shack hey? Or the _Looooooovvvveee _Shack?"

"How the fuck do you know this?" Sirius asked curiously.

James shrugged. "I know stuff."

"That's kind of creepy in a voyeuristic way," Sirius commented.

Remus looked up. "Good vocabulary, Padfoot."

"I know, I'm improving," Sirius announced modestly.

Fabian entered the common room looking smug. "You shag my girl, Iz, hey Sirius?"

"What the fuck is with this school?" Sirius threw a hand over his eyes. "Can nothing stay private?"

"Not with James around," Gideon popped up behind Fabian.

Sirius looked worried. "Guys, don't say anything to her, alright? It's already fucking weird that you're all stalking me. I mean, I know I'm hot but I don't –" The ridiculous end of Sirius' protective speech about Izzy was cut off by Fabian and Gideon yelling,

"BUNDLE!" The Marauders and the Prewett Twins crushing Sirius under their combined weight.

* * *

><p>Izzy was sat down on the bed by Alice, Lily and Mary. "So, you shagged him." Lily stated, not as a question.<p>

"Umm," Izzy looked confused.

Alice sighed. "The hair, Iz. Sex hair."

Mary cringed. "And James said he thought Sirius was going to take you to the Crap Shack."

"How did James know?" Izzy asked curiously.

"I guess he's done it with other girls," Lily sighed sadly. "But Iz –"

Other girls? But, Izzy had viewed that as their special sanctuary. Sirius and Izzy lived happily ever after in the Crap Shack. It had a nice ring to it. She cleared her head of all the weird possessive thoughts. What she and Sirius had was real, and she wasn't going to let her sensible friends get in the way of that. She wouldn't.

She sighed. "Look I appreciate your worry or whatever for me, but …"

"Look," Alice said. "Do what you want. You're a grown up. Just be careful."

"That's all we're saying," Lily reinforced.

Izzy checked the time. Eight p.m. "Man, I'm starving," she announced, deciding to let the awkward 'be careful' conversation fall by the wayside, because that was generally what she did with practical suggestions. "Let's get dinner."

**Reviews, please!**


	24. Quidditch and Questions

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: I'm on a roll here! Yet another chapter! **

**Quidditch and Questions**

After school one week later, Izzy pulled on casual clothes, examining the scar on her back from the incident with the Slytherins. She didn't think it was disfiguring exactly, just interesting. She was like that.

According to Madam Pomfrey, Izzy recovered quickly from the curse that could have taken her life. According to Izzy, the days dragged on into years, because she'd been told she wasn't allowed to play Quidditch for a month. A pimply faced fifth year called Steph had taken her spot, and Izzy hated her with a passion. Unfairly, but she was constantly in a bad mood these days.

So, while everyone was at practice, and the Prewett twins had gone to set something on fire, she sat alone in the common room by the fire. Even Alice, Mary, Lily and Remus had gone to watch them play. "Bit of a perv, eh?" Izzy had mocked, taking satisfaction in the awkward squirming that Remus did whenever she included him as 'one of the girls.' Because she was sadistic like that.

She flung her legs over the side of the armchair, re-adjusting her oversized knit beige jumper, pulling up her black tights. She stared into the flames, twirling a lock of chocolate hair around her finger, wishing she had some sweets from Honeydukes to tide her over until dinner.

As she fantasised about Peppermint Imps, and Sugar Quills, she noticed a small red-haired girl on the couch opposite her, knitting away avidly, pausing only to push her wildly curly hair behind her ears. "Hi," Izzy greeted cheerily, squinting at the girl. "Are you Molly Prewett?"

"Yes," the girl said shyly, looking up and finishing her row of stitching.

"I'm Izzy," she hurried to explain, worried the younger girl would think she was a stalker with a penchant for ginger females. "I know Fabian and Gideon? They were telling me about a little sister with red hair who knits."

"That's me," Molly smiled. "So … you have the joy of knowing my dear brothers?"

"They're a handful," Izzy admitted. "You made the jumpers with F and G on them, didn't you? Saved my life a few times."

Molly grinned. "Sometimes _I _can't even tell them apart."

The two girls sat in companionable silence for a few more moments. "I can't knit," Izzy said wistfully; as if it were an oversight that may one day cost her her life.

The younger girl gave an oddly maternal smile, and Izzy could see her sitting exactly like that; small red-haired children assembled at her knees in a few years' time. "I could teach you," Molly offered generously.

"Really?" Izzy bounced off her chair and went to sit beside the adept craftswoman, taking the knitting needles Molly dredged from her bag of goodies beside her on the seat. Molly handed her a ball of wool and calmly instructed her in what to do.

* * *

><p>James and Sirius walked up the stairs tiredly, grinning wearily at each other. "Good job," Sirius said breathlessly of James' captain and coaching skills.<p>

"We need Izzy back," James kicked the stair rail. He tended to channel his frustrations into Quidditch, which made him a good player but a scary captain.

"That girl isn't that bad," Sirius defended.

"Ugh," James was too far-gone to form coherent sentences.

"You just need to breathe," Sirius advised.

"What about you?" James changed the subject. "Spoken to your family?"

"Yeah." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Psycho as ever. Dear old Reggie's gone to cry to Mummy Walburga, so I'm in for a Howler someday soon."

James clapped him on the shoulder. "S'alright, mate. If there was any point, my mum would probably adopt you."

"Gotta love Mrs P." Sirius commented as they reached the portrait hole.

"Watch it," James warned. They were venturing far too close to 'Ya Mum' territory.

"Flobberworm," Sirius said, rolling his eyes and ignoring James.

"I beg your pardon!" The Fat Lady gasped. "How dare y-Oh." She smiled sheepishly and swung open as James and Sirius shared a look, clambering past their over-sensitive portrait.

Sirius rounded the corner and smiled caringly as he saw his girlfriend in a beige sweater looking shapely in black tights, grinning and laughing with a small red-head, knitting needles wildly waving in her hands. He loved how versatile this girl could be. A good Quidditch player, a great friend, an awesome girlfriend, a feisty enemy, and knitter extraordinaire, apparently.

"Are you knitting or conducting an orchestra?" Sirius joked as they drew nearer.

"Hi sweet pea," Izzy mocked, blowing him an air kiss.

"Don't I get one?" James laughed, snatching Izzy's kiss out of the air.

Izzy grinned. "Molly, this is James and this is Sirius, trust me they're weird."

Molly laughed quietly.

"She's Fab and Gid's little sister," Izzy explained cheerily.

"Hey," James and Sirius greeted politely.

Izzy growled, "So Potter? Going to win the match on Saturday?"

"Sure," James laughed. "Steph's alright."

"Don't talk to me about that spot stealing skank," Izzy muttered viciously slapping her knitting needles together.

"We'll see you at the match then?" Sirius joked as they headed to get changed. But Izzy was already caught up in her project, tongue poking at the side of her mouth as she knit away.

* * *

><p>Izzy went to watch the Ravenclaw Gryffindor match, sitting in the stands with Remus and all the girls, and odd experience for her, and them. Alice, Lily and Mary wanted to have fun, yet Izzy was jumping around and waving her arms, screeching obscenities every few minutes.<p>

The match had just about started, when Sirius tapped Izzy on the shoulder, a certain red blanket in his arms. "What are you doing?" She demanded anxiously. "Get out there Black!"

He thrust the blanket at her. "It's freezing, and you're recovering from an Unforgivable. Put it on."

"I'm fine," she protested, swatting it away.

Sirius glared. "Take it, Isabella."

"Fine," She grumbled, shrugging the blanket around her shoulders.

He kissed her deeply on the lips and she gasped, slapping him away. "Get your head in the game," she commanded, poking him in the chest.

"Bye," he said cheerily, ignoring his competitive girlfriend's taunts.

"If you lose us this match, Sirius…!" Izzy threatened as he casually loitered on his way down to the changing rooms.

Remus nudged her shoulder. "Don't get so worked up, Izzy."

Izzy tried to stay calm, but she was jittery and wanted to be out on the field. She could work off some of her aggression out on the pitch. "If we don't win, we don't play Slytherin in the pre-lims, and I don't get to play for the rest of the year."

Lily ran over and grinned. "Do I want to share this blanket with you or did you and Sirius do something nasty on it?"

Izzy grinned, pointy teeth showing. "Guess."

Lily stepped on to the other side of Remus. "Maybe I'll just stand over here."

"Maybe you will," Izzy laughed. She hadn't mentioned their little excursion again to Sirius, if only because she didn't want to accuse him of being unthoughtful and slutty just based on rumours that other, even her friends, had relayed to her.

The Quaffle was thrown up into the air and the match was thereby punctuated by the screams of Isabella Flynn, allowing no other conversation to take place.

"Jesus Sirius! I know you've got your grandma's hair, but don't play like her!" She screeched after Sirius narrowly missed a Bludger to the shoulder.

Lily nudged Remus. "Does she think that'll make him play better? Abuse?"

Remus shrugged. "That's how James coaches and they win every game."

And sure enough the next time a Bludger came his way, Sirius sent it off with a whistling sound, winking and waving his bat at Izzy in the stands.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Izzy yelled, dancing around.

"Bloody yell, Johnson!" She yelled a few minutes later at the Seeker. "When did you last go to the optometrist? The Snitch was right there!"

Peter looked around quizzically. "What's an opto-met-erist?" He mispronounced.

"A Muggle eye doctor," Lily explained kindly. "Chill out, Izzy," She yelled at her friend who was shivering in front of them, blanket discarded.

"If we don't win, I don't play for the rest of the year," Izzy repeated.

"We know," Remus rolled his eyes.

"The rest of the year," Izzy groaned. "This is seventh year, Remus, there are no other chances."

"You and James," Remus shook his head. "Obsessed."

"And Sirius?" Lily asked.

Remus conspiratorially answered," I think he was more interested in the sex god status that Quidditch awarded him." He hurriedly added, "Not that he takes advantage of that now he has you, Iz."

But she wasn't listening. "Potter!" She shouted. "So help me God if you miss another catch, I will castrate you!"

James laughingly flipped her off, shooting back off into the pack grappling for the Quaffle.

Lily started uncontrollably laughing and Remus looked askance at her. "Yes Lily?"

"I'd let to get in on that action," She hooted hysterically. She was trying to go back to hating James, but the kiss still floated in the back of her mind when she had a spare moment.

Remus' eyes widened and he jokingly slid down the bench. "I'm going to move down here now, okay, sadist?"

Lily couldn't care less, still giggling quietly. The match ended a few minutes later, Steph waving her arm up in the air, Snitch glinting in her palm.

"Thank God," Izzy sighed, collapsing on to the bench, resting her hoarse voice. Remus and the others quickly escaped the cold, but Izzy waited in the stands for Sirius, deciding to take this alone time to ask Sirius a few questions. She decided that she was a paranoid clingy after sex girl, and for the minute, she was going to push away her pride and shame to ask Sirius the burning question.

Sirius emerged from the changing rooms a few minutes smiling as he made his way over to her as she skipped down the stairs. "Did we do good, or did we do good?" He yelled wildly and excitedly to the pitch, throwing his head back.

"Congratulations," Izzy laughed, turning to walk beside him back up to the castle. "Um, Sirius?"

"Yeah," He said, looking confused at her sudden hesitance.

"Um … have you ever … well, first of all, I'm totally embarrassed. I don't want to, but I have to, I'm going crazy. ?"

"What?" Sirius asked emphatically, looking confused at the jumble of words that had spilled out of Izzy's mouth.

Izzy tried to breathe. "Have you ever … taken another girl to the Crap Shack? To have sex," She clarified bashfully.

Sirius looked at her quizzically. "What? Where di you hear that?"

Izzy didn't want to rat anyone out, but she all of a sudden heard herself state, "James told Lily, and Lily told me that you do it to a lot of girls."

Sirius felt a small bubble of anger grow inside of him. "What are you trying to say to me? That I took you to my Uncle's place so we could have sex? That it meant nothing to me? God, Iz!"

"I just –"

"Is that what you meant?" Sirius asked, face set into a hard expression.

"I –"

"_is _that what you meant?" He said, voice rising.

Izzy glared, crossing her arms. "Well, is it true?" She said crossly.

The stubborn couple stared at each other, eyes hard, breathing quickly.

"Why does it matter?" Sirius said angrily. "Do you think I went out with you for this long just so we could have sex?"

"No," Izzy yelled loudly. "I just want to know! Is it true? Do you do that with all the girls?"

"Why are you judging me on what I've done in the past?" Sirius asked quietly. "Why cant it be about how I am with you now?"

"It is about now," Izzy said firmly. "I'm just –"

Sirius put his hands in his pockets. He'd known this would come to an end. Everyone judged him eventually. And let them judge, he thought bitterly, there were plenty of horrible things he'd done in his life. Hating his family, nearly killing Snape, treating girls badly, he just wasn't good, and he was never going to be. Dating Izzy for the past few months? He'd clearly been kidding himself, and now she was going to judge him just like everyone else. "It doesn't matter," he said. "I'll just go."

"Where are you going?" Izzy asked heatedly, as he began to walk away from her.

"I just, I got to think about some stuff." Sirius said.

"What?" Izzy challenged, feeling stupid for the tears that began to gather in her eyes.

"I just …" Sirius stopped and collected himself. "You're going to be something," He said. "Something good."

"So are you," Izzy grabbed his wrists violently and pulled them away from her face. "So are you," she repeated.

"I'm not," Sirius laughed self-deprecatingly. "I'm a Black, and it's not going to happen for me. None of the stuff that'll happen for you, or James, or Remus will happen for me."

"Stop talking like that!" Izzy begged. "It will, for you and me!"

"We're not," Sirius paused. "We're not meant to last. Nothing I have is meant to last."

"So you're ending it?" Izzy asked angrily.

"No, not now, but eventually we wont …" Sirius trailed off.

Izzy threw her hands up. "Well, why not just end it now and save yourself the trouble of deciding when the moment's right to break my heart? Huh?" She pushed him, whacking him hard wherever she could find a free spot, hitting him on the face even. Sirius stood defenceless hands lowered, face red, hair ruffled.

"Stop, stop," he said quietly when she paused in front of him, breathless.

"Just end it now." She said, gasping. "Just end it now. Actually, I'll end it. I hate you Sirius. I cannot stand to look at you. It's over!" She yelled, pushing him down the grassy slope. He tumbled backwards and stood looking up at her, angry.

"I just meant –" He started.

"I don't care what you just meant!" Izzy yelled. "Don't get all sorry for yourself, you bastard. Let's end it now!"

So, Sirius began to walk away, and Izzy slid quickly down the slide. "Wai-" But her pride was too great to ask him to stay, and he didn't even look at her as he slid a cigarette out of his pocket and walked back down to the Quidditch pitch, kicking out at nothing as he went.

**Oh no! Review, and tell me how much you hate me for doing that! But don't worry, I'll fix it all up :)**


	25. Tshirts and Shame

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! It's been ages :( And I apologise. But, enjoy this chapter! If that's possible.**

**T-Shirts and Shame**

Izzy went to dinner with a heavy heart. Her friends were sitting with the Marauders, yet Sirius was nowhere to be found. James and Lily were laughing heartily, chatting like old friends. Izzy calmed her breathing, yet took a seat down near some first years at the front of the hall. She didn't want to overshadow the friendship that the group had going for them, and who knew how they'd take Izzy and Sirius' break up?

They probably expected it, Izzy thought bitterly, pushing mashed potato around her plate. Everyone had known that Sirius wasn't going to stick around apparently. Everyone but her. She thought about the day at Uncle Alphie's place. She wiped her eyes surreptitiously; wishing that time had stood still then. That she could have stayed like that with Sirius for the rest of her life.

Everywhere she looked there were reminders. Even where she was sitting now, the time she and Sirius had thrown grapes at each other. The Entrance Hall, a kiss behind the stairwell a few times. Even her dormitory, she remembered the time Sirius had flown his broom to the window and made her come and spend time with him because everyone else was asleep. The common room, where they'd first started to 'fake date.'

She violently stabbed a piece of broccoli. Damn that stupid self-absorbed bastard! Why go out with her if he was just going to dump her anyway? Then she sighed. But would she really have it any other way. Not matter how painful those memories were she was glad they'd happened. Wasn't she?

Oh dear god, she had to get out of here. Out of Hogwarts, out of Britain. She wanted to go places, and forget about her second ever boyfriend. The one she'd foolishly, for a moment, allowed herself to imagine a happy future with. "Stupid," she muttered.

"Are you alright?" A first year asked, concernedly.

She looked over at the young blonde boy, he was smiling hesitantly. Yep, he'd be a heartbreaker when he grew up. "I'm fine," Izzy sighed. She pointed her fork at him. "Respect women, okay kid?"

"Uh – "

Fabian slapped the first year on the shoulder. "S'alright Nigel. Run along."

"She's our friend," Gideon explained to the young boy, who nodded and walked away, pushing his plate to the centre of the table, where it vanished.

"Why were you scaring Nigel?" Fabian asked.

"How do you know him?" Izzy asked confusedly.

"He sometimes helps us with pranks and stuff," Gideon shrugged.

"You have a first year lackey to do your dirty work?" Izzy asked incredulously.

"No," Fabian defended. "Sometimes we don't fit into small spaces and Nigel's all to willing to help out. I'm offended." He finished.

"The Prewetts don't have people do their dirty work," Gideon explained.

"We take pride in being caught!" Fabian added.

"What are you doing down here?" Gideon asked curiously.

"Nothing," Izzy said mutinously.

"Did you and Siri have a fight?" Fabian asked amiably.

"Why?" Izzy asked suspiciously.

Gideon started, "I was … taking a walk," he lied about the fact he'd actually been planning an elaborate joke. "And I saw him smoking and throwing things off the Astronomy Tower."

Izzy sighed. "What was he throwing?"

"It looked like a Banshees of Bedlam concert tee," Gideon shrugged.

Izzy stood and cursed. "Bastard! That was my T-shirt!" She began to storm out of the hall.

"Iz!" Lily called in surprise. "Where wer-"

"Not now Lily, I have to go and castrate Sirius!" Izzy hollered as she headed out of the hall.

Lily looked at James, alarmed. "Um –"

"I don't know," James replied quickly, holding up his hands.

Izzy was puffing, breathing heavily by the time she got to the Astronomy Tower. She glared, anger bubbling up inside of her. "Could you be anymore childish?" She snapped, pushing on Sirius' shoulder, as he was turned away from her, leaning over the railing, smoke dangling from his lips.

"Beg pardon?" Sirius asked arrogantly, turning to face her, blowing a smoke ring into the cold darkening twilight air.

"You threw my Banshees of Bedlam T-shirt over the edge?" Izzy asked. She felt childish too, because, good God, it was only a T-shirt and she could Summon it back, but she wanted to get mad.

"It's mine," Sirius argued.

"It was mine." Izzy said angrily. "Why do you have to be so immature?"

Sirius' eyes darkened, and before Izzy had any idea of what was going, Sirius was pressing his lips furiously against hers, her back arching against the metal railing, his hands tangled in her messy wavy hair.

Izzy gasped, splaying her hands on his chest, pushing him backwards. "What are you doing?" She asked furiously, hands on her hips.

Sirius shrugged. "One last time?"

"You are such a dick," Izzy put a hand over her eyes, dropping her head. "I cannot believe … just remember, you were the one to break up with me, okay? You tosser?"

Sirius stubbed out his cigarette, looking up at her, with those bloody grey dark emotional eyes that just sucked Izzy in every time. She pushed her hair behind one ear and began to sweep past Sirius, planning on ignoring him to the last second, until he reached out, brushing a finger against her bare, already goose-bumpy arm.

Izzy stared at Sirius searching his face for …something, before she was all of a sudden in his arms again, kissing madly, hands roaming all over each others' body. Sirius grinned, grabbing her hand. Izzy smiled impishly, skipping down the stairs and running the both of them to the common room. She poked her head around the corner into the common room. "Everyone's at dinner," She giggled, pulling him up the stairs to the boy's dormitory, clothes ruffled, hair everywhere.

Sirius grinned, kissing her constantly, as he guided them awkwardly over to the bed, fumbling clumsily. They stopped, both breathing quickly, staring at each other. Sirius, for once, was hesitant. "What are we doing?"

Izzy was looking at him with wild eyes. She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, but she knew she wanted to be with Sirius, no matter how short term this solution may be. "One last time?" She laughed. "Or, third time ever?"

Sirius chuckled, helping Izzy take his shirt off, as she then got to work on his belt buckle, both kneeling on his mattress, bodies pressed together, wondering how long they'd have before the boys got back.

* * *

><p>Somehow, Sirius and Izzy fell asleep, and Izzy woke in a haze of self-loathing and sunlight streaming through the boy's dormitory window. She looked over to where James was tangled in his Puddlemere United sheets, where Remus was asleep, a book lying open by his side, where Peter was curled up in his blue flannel pyjamas. Izzy stared at them all sleeping innocently and felt disgusting. There she was, Slut of the Century, back for more with her ex-boyfriend. Then she realised that they didn't actually know that she and Sirius had broken up. But still …<p>

Izzy sighed. She pushed Sirius' heavy arm off her body, gathered up her shoes and cardigan, wearing only Sirius' large long shirt, sneaking past the beds, tip-toeing down the stairs, hoping no-one had seen her, especially not the random seventh year in the corner, the one's name she didn't know.

Izzy crept even more quietly up the girls' stairs, sliding past Mary and pulling her covers over her, checking her clock to see she had an hour left to sleep before she had to get ready. She tucked her feet into bed, looking over at Alice who was rubbing her eyes blearily. "Walk of shame, hey Izzy?" She chuckled throatily.

Izzy put a finger to her lips. "Sh, go to sleep." She commanded quietly, laying back on her pillows, closing her eyes.

Izzy jiggled her foot not two minutes later, eyes wide open, body tingling with energy. She was too restless to sleep, and she felt the need to do some more self-loathing. So, she got up and crept into the bathroom, taking advantage of its early morning cleanliness.

When she emerged, Lily was sitting up, head and neck drooping, wavy hair curled around her face. "Morning," Izzy said, faking a smile as she rolled over the waistband of her grey skirt.

"Mmm," Lily sighed tiredly. "Where were you last night?"

"Around," Izzy said vaguely. "I had to study for that Potions thing."

"We don't have Potions today," Mary said, emerging from around the corner, straightening her tie. "And that test is next week."

"I just wanted … to get the jump on it," Izzy said in a tone of voice that left no room for further discussion.

Mary shrugged. "Are you coming to breakie?"

"God, yeah," Izzy sighed. "I'm starving." That's it. When in doubt, turn to pancakes and maple syrup for comfort. Works like a charm, every time.

* * *

><p>Sirius woke slowly, blearily rubbing his eyes. He saw that Izzy was gone and dropped back on to his pillows. Seriously? Usually he was the one doing the running, he was never the one left to wonder why. And he didn't like it very much.<p>

Sirius lay back on his pillows, groaning in frustration. Then again, she did have the right to be mad, but they'd both done something very stupid last night, especially him. Breaking up with her and then sleeping with her the night afterwards.

"You're a charmer," Sirius told himself sarcastically. "A real catch."

James mumbled under his breath, eyes cracking open. "What?"

"Nothing," Sirius waved a hand. "Go back to sleep."

"I saw Izzy," James laughed, his voice cracking. "Done the walk of shame, has she?"

Sirius was going to lie, he really was. Pretend that everything was okay until he spoke to Izzy about how they would tell everyone. But judging by her running away this morning, she really didn't want to face him. "I wouldn't know," He said quietly, grabbing a tie out of his trunk, pulling on a clean shirt.

"What?" James sat up in surprise.

"We …" And Sirius, the very one who had caused their break up, couldn't say it.

"You didn't," James said suspiciously, looking horrified. "You did. You idiot Padfoot. You have no … you're so …"

Sirius knew another bout of insults was heading his way, so sarcastically he cut in, "Prongs, save the pep talk for later, would you? I'm going for breakfast."

Sirius got to the door before James called out. "Wait, Padfoot! I'm sorry. Are you … okay?"

"James your concern staggers me," he pretended to fall.

"I know," James shrugged. "I tend to stun people."

Sirius chuckled. "With horror."

"Occasionally. But I'm not complaining." He furrowed his brows and sat further up in bed, swinging his legs over the side and pulling on a shirt.

"Oh good," Sirius laughed. "I was uncomfortable having that conversation when you were topless."

"'Cause my abs are so godly and distracting, right?" James laughed. Then he quieted, "But really? Are you okay?"

His smile was as fake as Izzy's. "I'm fine. I always am, right?"

And as James watched him jog down the stairs, whistling a cheery tune, James wondered if that was true anymore.

**Reviews please? Even though I don't deserve them!**


	26. Friends and Lemon Tarts

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: I haven't done any Izzy/Sirius one shots lately! Do you guys have any request about one you'd like done, or a request?**

**Friends and Lemon Tarts**

Izzy was sitting in the Great Hall spooning cereal out of her bowl, a book opened in front of her. She'd had a lot more time to read and study now that she didn't have a super-hot boyfriend holding her back. Holding her back? She nearly snorted cornflakes out her nose. If anything, it had been the other way around. But she didn't get to finish her philosophical circular debate with herself, because James arrived, and wrapped his big arm around her, tucking her face into his chest.

"Hello Izzy," he sighed, breathing into their hug.

Izzy sighed and waited it out. James had been doing this a lot lately. When he'd first heard, Izzy had been sitting in the common room and he had hugged her round the head so tightly she'd had to get Remus to save her. Now, for some reason, he thought his bear hugs were therapeutic, and wouldn't let her get away without one.

"James," Izzy said when breathing got a little difficult. "James. James."

He sighed again, releasing her and sitting very close beside her. "How are you?" He said smoothly, much like a psychiatrist would.

"Fine," Izzy sighed.

He seemed satisfied with that and became Little-Boy James again. "Ooh, what are you reading?"

"Nothing," Izzy shut the book. She doubted she'd get any reading done now.

"So …" James shifted awkwardly.

Izzy looked up and saw the other three Marauders enter the Hall. "Yes, you can go and sit with them now," she said resignedly.

"No," James stayed strong. "You're my friend too. I'll stay."

Izzy shrugged. "Your call."

"Yeah, it is," James chuckled. "You aren't getting rid of me that easy, Iz."

"Damn," Izzy laughed, slapping a fist against the table.

James sobered quickly. "We have … Quidditch practice tonight. Um, you'll come right?"

"Yeah," Izzy looked at him quizzically. "Why wouldn't – Oh." She frowned. "This break up stuff is hard, isn't it?" She gave a self-mocking laugh.

"Iz?"

"Yeah," she was staring off down the hall, looking at Sirius flicking grapes at Peter. She tore her eyes away. "Yeah. I'll be there."

"Okay," James kissed her forehead and left, jumping up and flicking Sirius and Remus on the back of the head as he walked by. "Cheerio, you lot!" He yelled boisterously.

And sure, Izzy found it hard to accept that she and Sirius were officially, totally over, but she found it even harder to accept that she wasn't part of James' 'you lot' anymore. She was just a girl he felt sorry for who he sat with when his friends weren't nearby. And that killed her more than anything. That she'd not only destroyed a relationship, she'd most likely destroyed friendships as well.

She'd be proved wrong.

* * *

><p>Izzy ran into Peter in the hallway on the way to Potions, her messenger bag slipping off her shoulder. He gallantly collected its contents for her, lifting it up with a friendly smile. "Here you go, Izzy."<p>

"Thanks Peter," She grinned, and hesitantly fell into step with him. They headed down the corridor and around the corner in silence for a few seconds.

Peter shrugged, as if he were uncomfortable. "Just because … you and Sirius broke up – well, I know we weren't really friends, but … it doesn't mean we have to hate each other, right?"

Izzy smiled, gently knocking Peter's arm. "What are you talking about? Of course we're friends!"

He smiled shyly. "Cool." They lapsed into comfortable silence before he spoke again. "Wanna share half my lemon tart?"

He fished one out his bag and Izzy agreed whole-heartedly. "Right on, Pete."

He broke it in half and handed her the bigger half, a school yard gesture of friendship. "So? Do you suck at Potions, or is it just me?"

"I suck too," Izzy rolled her eyes. "Slughorn's one Knut short of a full Galleon."

Peter grinned, holding the door to the dungeons open for her and she slipped through, meeting up with Remus as they quickened their pace.

"Hey Remus," Izzy greeted shyly, wondering if they would assume the break up was all her fault.

"Hey Izzy," he said breezily, ruffling his hair in a James-like fashion. "Did you do the assignment?"

"Just barely," she laughed, glad they were happy not to talk about it.

Peter sighed, taking another lemon tart out of his bag. "I didn't."

"Where do you get those lemon tarts?" Izzy asked curiously, peering into his bag.

Remus laughed. "Peter is master and Commander of all things Food."

Peter protested with a mouth full. "Hey!"

Remus and Izzy shook their heads laughingly before entering the Potions classroom, where Izzy took a seat with Mary. She looked over to where Remus and Peter had sat down, and a smirking Sirius tipped an imaginary hat in her direction.

She looked away, only to look back when Sirius yelped. "Ouch, James! Don't kick me!"

"Don't be a dick then." James said simply. He waved at Izzy and calmly began to unpack his books.

Izzy grinned at Mary. She didn't want to split up friends, but she loved that James good enough to keep both friendships going.

"Lily will be jealous," Mary murmured.

"What?"

"James was acting very protective," she giggled.

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Well, now I'm not dealing with Mr Drama Queen over there, we must liaison with the marauders to get James and Lily together."

"Must liaison?" Mary laughed.

"It is a matter of great urgency and importance," Izzy made her accent posh.

"What is?" James leant over between the two girls as he headed back to his table from the stores cupboard.

"Nothing," they chorused laughingly.

"Are we supposed to be doing something?" Izzy asked confusedly.

"Hiccup Cure," Remus rolled his eyes as he walked past, kissing the top of Mary's head.

"Thanks boyfriend," She grinned as she began to flip through her textbook.

"Yeah, thanks boyfriend!" Izzy mimicked in a falsetto.

"Shut up," Mary growled, nudging her with her elbow.

"Feisty," Izzy laughed as she stood to get supplies, bumping into Sirius coming the other way as she did. "Oh," she said, shocked.

"Sorry," Sirius muttered, squeezing past, head down.

Izzy held up a hand in apology, but he wasn't looking. He turned to James, Remus, Mary and Peter and shrugged. What was she to do?

Mary flapped a hand, indicating she should go over to the store cupboard where Sirius was standing. Izzy sidled over upon a wave of awkwardness, scooching in between a random Slytherin girl and the door. "Hey Sirius."

"Hi," Sirius said smoothly.

"So …" Izzy began.

Sirius cut in. "Actually, I'm a bit busy talking to this ravishing creature over here, sorry, could this wait?"

He gently manoeuvred Izzy out of the way to stand next to the Slytherin girl. Izzy was fuming. She stormed right back to her table and sat, hair almost crackling with fury. What a joke! Not even Sirius flirted or slept with Slytherin girls! He had some, albeit very low, standards. He was just doing it to get to her. Well, it was working! You must not get riled, she told herself, but she could almost feel steam coming out of her ears.

Mary patted her back sympathetically. "Do you want me to go?"

"Sure." Izzy said without thinking.

Mary could be a bit spiteful sometimes, and Remus and Izzy stared in utter horror as she found a vial of something slimy and green and 'accidentally' spilled it all over Sirius and the Slytherin slut. "Oops," she said sweetly. "My bad. You two better go get cleaned up."

"My hair!" the Slytherin cried as Sirius steered her to the sinks in the back room, shooting a murderous glare at Mary.

"Sorry," Mary waved, fake concern covering her face.

James and Mary high fived as she swept past in all her glory. Remus came and kelt by their table as Izzy gave her a disapproving glare.

"Mar," Izzy said.

In response to their disappointed looks, Mary held up her hands. "What? I'm passing Potions, I knew it wouldn't seriously hurt them!"

Remus turned to the girl who was pulling out clumps of her long dark hair.

"Well, except her hair," Mary amended. "What?" She said again. "It'll grow back." In a growling undertone she snapped, "Unlike Sirius' balls when I castrate him."

"Way too graphic for me," Remus gave a tight smile. "Bye Girlfriend."

Izzy rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Okay, when I said 'go,' I meant to get the ingredients, not revenge."

Mary shrugged. "You should have made that clearer."

"Clearly," Izzy sighed at her smug, satisfied friend.

* * *

><p>"And where was Slughorn in all of this?" Lily asked in outrage at dinner later that night.<p>

Mary shrugged. "I'm subtle."

"It wasn't so much that as Slughorn is a bloody clueless dolt." Izzy chuckled.

"One Knut short of a Galleon," James interjected as he walked pas to get to his friends.

Izzy and Mary laughed as Lily blushed slightly. Izzy latched onto it like a pit bull. "What was that?'

"What was what?" Lily said innocently, popping a green bean into her mouth.

"That," Mary said emphatically.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Lily twirled her fork in the air.

"Don't lie," Izzy threatened.

"you blushed."

"Did not."

"You're blushing now!"

"Am not!"

"Watch it Evans," Izzy laughed. "I'll make you admit you have the hots for a 'stupid yet hot Quidditch player as you put is so eloquently, if it is the last thing I do."

"I'm in on that." Marry added.

"Love or death!" Izzy and Mary chanted, bumping their fists together.

"One, I don't know you." Lily laughed. "Two, I guess it's death. Sorry. I'll miss you."

"Don't get smart with me Lover-Girl," Izzy poked her fork at Lily.

Lily dropped her head into her hands. "Do you take joy in torturing me?"

"Well … yes." Mary and Izzy laughed as Alice joined them.

"What are we doing?" Alice laughed, waving at Frank Longbottom across the hall.

"You two make me sick," Izzy gagged.

Alice grinned. "Sorry."

"We've formed the Love or Death Club." Mary informed her. "Lily's not a member."

"We have to get Lily to admit her love for the Quidditch sex metaphor boy," Izzy jerked her head in James' direction, "or we die."

"I'm in," Alice agreed. All three bumped fists, cheesily shouting, "Love or Death!"

Lily pushed her plate away from her. "I need to get away from you No-Life Losers," she laughed, standing up.

Izzy, Mary and Alice followed. "Do you like James?"

"You do don't you?"

"Lily loves Potter!"

Lily turned around. "Shut up, you slags," she whispered, bright red. "He'll hear you!"

"She so does!"

"Lily loves the sex metaphor boy!"

Izzy paused. "Come on guys, let's not be mean." She grinned. "Let's do it in a song."

All three girls began to sway, arm in arm. "Lily and James, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Izzy smiled as they left the hall. She could do this. She could be the fun single girl again. Sirius could sleep with all the bald Slytherin skanks he wants, she didn't care. Sort of, Izzy admitted. That would come in time, she was sure.

**Reviews please! I made it a quick update this time!**


	27. Exploding Snap and Outrage

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks**_

**A/N: I know, it's been ages. SORRY!**

**Exploding Snap and Outrage**

The winter was finally over. The rain had bucketed down for at least a month, and the last of Izzy's ennui was gone. She was officially fun and single.

"Lily!" Izzy yelled, from the bathroom, calling loudly. "Want to put on a bikini and go swimming?"

"No!" Lily yelled, "It isn't even that warm outside!" Izzy had become outrageous, daring and fun since she'd lost her virginity. Lily thought it was down to being rid of Sirius, but Izzy wasn't so sure.

"It is with a bit of Firewhiskey in your system!" Izzy winked, pulling the bottle from under Alice's bed. Alice had had a bit of the Firewhiskey with Izzy, but had then left to go and get frisky with Frank. As such, Izzy was lonely, with a tipsy courage and spark driving her.

Lily rolled her eyes, picking up her Potions textbook. "Bye Izzy!"

"Okay!" Izzy hollered, skipping out of the room and pulling on a sundress. Truthfully, she wasn't even a little drunk. She just needed an excuse to act outrageously. Things had been a bit boring at Hogwarts over the windy rainy weeks of late, and Izzy wanted to spice things up a little. Okay, in her vintage purple bikini, a lot.

Izzy walked down to the lake, seeing the Marauders lounging under a tree. Gah. Things had been a bit stilted and awkward since the Fiasco, as Lily referred to it when she wasn't cursing the name and future offspring of Sirius Black. Izzy continued walking in her bare feet, sundress whipping around her legs in the breeze.

Sirius lay back on his elbows, a cigarette dangling from his mouth flicking his hair back.

Remus looked up from his book, almost dazed to find out he was in the real world. "Put that out," he told Sirius crossly.

Sirius blew smoke. "Why?"

"Because if you have to die, I'd rather I murder you rather than have you died of lung cancer." Remus stated.

"Grumpy," Sirius whistled.

Remus sighed. "Sorry. I haven't had much sleep and you're getting on my nerves," he said this last part bluntly.

"My sexy tends to do that to people." Sirius chuckled and Remus glared.

"Leave the werewolf alone," James advised. "He bites."

Remus bared his teeth as Sirius stubbed out his cigarette.

"Reckon I could ask Izzy out? Reckon she'd go for me?" Peter asked, only just joining in the conversation as he realised they were there. He'd started to think more and more about the girl since their sharing of the lemon tart, which had been months ago now. Food always had played a rather important part in his life.

James sat up and abruptly stared worriedly at Sirius. Remus frowned. "Mate…"

"That's against the Bro Code," James announced, lying back on the grass.

"Oh." Peter said quietly. "Sorry Padfoot."

"It's fine," Sirius groaned, chucking a hand over his eyes as he leant against the tree. "Can we stop treating me like I'm a fragile invalid? I'm fucking fine. She's a good shag," He added as an aside to Peter.

Remus shook his head disgustedly and shared a look with James. They both knew that Sirius loved Izzy and that he was hurting, they just wondered if either Sirius or Izzy knew that. And speak of the devil; Izzy had worked up the courage to approach them. "Hey guys," she said placidly.

"Hey Iz," James greeted.

"Long time no bra stealing." Izzy winked.

"I'm never going to live that down." James said calmly. "As such, it has ceased to bother me."

"Ceased," Izzy repeated, impressed. "Word of the day."

"I try," James said modestly.

"Flynn," Sirius nodded, one eye squinting open.

"Black." She said cordially. "Do you guys know if you're allowed to swim in the lake?"

Remus shrugged. "They did for the Tri-Wizard Tournament."

Izzy grinned. "I'm not going out that far, but thanks." She pulled off her sundress revealing a purple bikini top and black shorts. "Thanks," she said again, balling up her dress and chucking it at James. "Keep that, would you?"

She ran lightly the few metres down to the water's edge and began to wade in slowly, dripping water over her face and hair. "Nice arse," Sirius commented.

"I heard that, Black!" She whirled around and flipped him off.

"It's true," Peter said falteringly.

Izzy winked. "I know it is." Sirius shook his head. Izzy had changed lately. She'd grown in confidence and rather than freaking out like a prude over a comment about her arse, embraced it and laughed as much as the rest of them. Sirius wasn't sure he liked it. He'd preferred when she was innocent and naïve, oddly enough.

As she dived in and surfaced a few seconds later, swimming further out, James chucked the sundress at Peter. "Want to do some creepy stalker-esque things to that dress, Pete?"

"Shut up," he muttered, leaving the sky blue ball of material by his side.

"How are you and Mary?" James asked cheerily.

"Awkward," Remus said quickly. "She hates Sirius."

"The only girl who does."

"And Alice, and Lily, and Anna-Lee, and probably Marlene." James listed.

"No, Marlene and I are shagging like rabbits." Sirius informed them casually.

"Oh God." James sighed and looked out Izzy, now swimming back into shore. "Stand up Padfoot."

"Why?"

"Just stand up."

Sirius stood in front of James and James swung backwards, delivering a crushing blow to Sirius' nose.

"You broke my nose!" Sirius was clutching his face, blood between his fingers.

"Take it like a man," James wrung out his fingers. "Ow. Fuck." He flinched.

Sirius glared. "You tosser."

"Says you," Remus input. "Come on, I'll take you to the Hospital Wing."

"Can't you just charm it?" Sirius whined.

"No, I want you to learn a lesson. I'm going to ask Pomfrey to let it heal like a Muggle."

"You bastard." Sirius commented.

Izzy had caught sight of the scene and ran up, squeezing water out of her hair. "What the fuck is going on here?"

"I punched him in the face!" James said proudly, showing her his knuckles.

"Aw shit." Izzy took a look at Sirius' nose, bleeding everywhere and picked up her dress. "Here, stop the bleeding with that."

"Thanks," he said, pressing the material to his mangled nose.

"Why did you do that?" Izzy asked as she examined James' swelling knuckles.

"He was being a tosser."

"Well, yeah, he tends to do that. Doesn't mean I break his nose every time."

"You should," James said darkly.

"Come on," Izzy led them all up to the Hospital Wing. "That was my favourite dress," she told Sirius. "And I'm walking around in my bikini. You'd better be grateful."

Sirius just nodded and Izzy led James up further ahead, out of earshot. "Yes?" James said expectantly.

"Did he say something about Lily?"

"No."

"Alice."

"No."

"Mary."

"No."

"Anna-Lee."

"No."

"Me?"

James shifted uncomfortably. "Not, um, directly."

"Shit James." Izzy cursed. "We were trying to be friends and you go and punch him in the face on my behalf? Like, high-five and all, but way to be almost as much of a tosser as him!"

"Sorry," James looked like a little kid.

"Fights don't solve anything," Izzy reprimanded.

"He didn't even try to fight back," James grumbled as they entered the Hospital Wing. "If that makes you feel any better."

"It does," Izzy shrugged, a slight smile gracing her lips.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Remus called. "We have a broken nose," he informed her as she approached and pulled out her wand. "Um, no, actually, we're attempting to teach Sirius a lesson."

"Oh?" Madam Pomfrey looked gleeful. She spent far too much time patching these boys up. "A Muggle fix-up, hey?" She led Sirius over to a bed, sat him down and began to bandage him up. "There you are." She patted him on the back and sent him off. "No more fights. And let me guess, the other lad looks worse?"

"No. The other _lad _is him." Sirius pointed darkly at James.

"Well then," Madam Pomfrey looked stunned. "Off you go then, children. I hope I won't have to see you all again soon."

Remus shepherded them all out and they made their way back to the common room, slumping into chairs and joining Alice, Mary and Lily. "Who broke Black's nose?" Lily asked excitedly.

"That would be me," James said grandly, bowing pompously.

Lily looked stunned for a minute before she grinned. "Well, Master Potter, your wish is my command. You. Are. My. Hero."

"Why does everyone hate me?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Izzy asked rhetorically.

"It's 'cause I'm so gorgeous, right?" Sirius said arrogantly, which was really his only mood these days. "You know, once a princess wanted to marry me because I was so darling?"

"Mm-hm," Mary suppressed laughter.

"It's true. I'd never marry someone who had slaves, though."

"Slaves?" Izzy looked perplexed.

"They fed her grapes." He nodded solemnly.

"You were going to marry Cleopatra?" Alice asked curiously.

"Ha ha," Sirius said sourly. "True story."

"In your drug addled brain." Izzy stated.

"I'm not drugged!" Sirius protested.

"Maybe it's the broken nose," Alice speculated.

"Maybe," Mary shrugged.

Lily clapped her hands gleefully. "You know it's going to set crooked, right?"

Sirius clutched at his face. "What? Nooo!" He wailed. "I'm going to look like Snape!"

"Your studly days are ooooo-ver," Izzy predicted with satisfaction entering her voice.

"Someone should break the news to Marlene," Peter said without thinking.

"Marlene?" Izzy asked softly.

Sirius ducked his head. "Um, yeah."

Izzy looked at James. "That's why you punched him?"

"Yeah." James fidgeted.

"Thanks," Izzy said softly as she got up and climbed the stairs to her room.

"She'll get over it," Sirius said, though he knew in his heart of hearts he was being an entirely mean and cruel tosser.

Alice, Mary, Lily, and Remus got up and filed out of the common room, one by one. "You're an idiot," James said to Peter. Then he turned to Sirius. "And I'd break your nose again but I think you've had enough for one day." And with that, James followed the others out of the common room.

Sirius stared at the girls' dormitory stairs and pondered whether it was worth it. He stood, raced up three-quarters of the stairs before they transformed into a slide and he clutched at the walls, heaving himself up, collapsing on the floor breathing heavily at the physical exertion. Izzy just stared expectantly. "Fuck off Sirius. You made the stairs turn into a slide, which I don't appreciate, and you're a slut. Go get James to break your nose again."

"Ouch."

Izzy raised her eyebrows. "So? Slut? Get out?"

"Nah," Sirius threw herself over her bed; a bed he'd in fact been in when the two lovebirds had decided to ditch class.

"Look," Izzy sighed. "It's none of my business if you want to slut it up out there."

Sirius sighed blissfully. "I love the ease at which you turn nouns into verbs. 'Slut it up?'"

"Wow." Izzy pretended to look impressed. "You know the difference between a noun and a verb? Good job."

"Ha, ha." Sirius looked sour. "This friends thing is kind of hard, isn't it?"

"Kinda." Izzy grinned and then joked, "It wouldn't be if I wasn't trying to be friends with such a douche."

"You're funny," Sirius said sarcastically, pulling himself up onto her bed. "Izzy?"

"Yeah?"

"My nose hurts."

"Come on baby," She said half sympathetically, half mockingly. "Should we play a game of Exploding Snap to take your mind off it?"

"Please." Sirius' face brightened.

And Izzy marvelled at her life which last year had been so boring and this year had her playing Exploding Snap with her ex-boyfriend who her best friend had broken the nose of not two hours earlier as if it were just a normal day.

**REVIEWS! Please. :)**


	28. Closets and Common Rooms

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: I know, I know. My VCE exams are coming up, so naturally I'm procrastinating by posting a long awaited chapter of B&B.**

**Closets and Common Rooms**

McGonagall peered over the edge of her glasses, lips pursed as usual. "I'd like to congratulate you on your essays. In particular, Ms Evans, your essay was O grade material!"

Izzy nudged Lily. "Congrats, Lil. I think that's the first time she's cracked an almost smile in about a month!"

Lily blushed, as McGonagall handed back Izzy's roll of parchment. "Acceptable," was all the stern woman dished out as she headed past them.

Izzy sneered at the A grade on the top of her paper. "Whatever," she muttered.

Lily patted her on the shoulder. "You know, if you tried …"

"I know." Izzy retorted, piling her books and standing.

"And don't forget the selection of brochures at the front of the room. 5p.m sharp, the Careers Expo will begin, are we clear … Mr Black?"

"Yes ma-am," Sirius nodded, yanking a brochure out of Remus' hand, tipping his imaginary hat and strolling out of the classroom, whistling.

Izzy loitered, waiting to grab a brochure, and Lily touched her arm, smiling a goodbye. Izzy was soon the last one in the room.

"So .." McGonagall said almost kindly. "How are you Ms Flynn?"

"Fine."

"Not distracted, are we?"

"No." Izzy felt the interrogation morphing into a lecture.

McGonagall perched on the edge of her desk. "I know you are bright, you have potential. What holds you back?"

Izzy decided she could be the surly stubborn teenager, or she could answer truthfully, and with this being the last year of her schooling, while she had no idea what she wanted to do, she might as well find out. "I get bored," she admitted.

McGonagall gave a bit of a smile and collected up a few specific pamphlets. "Take notice in the Careers Expo Isabella, and have a look at these paths you can take after Hogwarts."

"Thanks, Professor!" Izzy said cheerily. "I don't really want there to be an after Hogwarts!" She announced as she left the room.

McGonagall grinned. "None of us do."

* * *

><p>Lily Evans was sitting alone with a romance novel she'd got her mum to send to her, engrossed in the romantic world of whatever the heroine's name was, she was more interested in the dashing, funny, goofy male love interest. Izzy kept teasing her, saying the male character was just like James, but Lily didn't believe that for a second.<p>

And as if that thought conjured him up, James flopped into the armchair opposite her. "Hey Lil. We haven't had a chance to talk lately. Fate has kept us apart."

"Yeah," Lily muttered. "If my middle name's Fate."

"I beg your pardon?" James leant forward; resting his elbows on his knees, and took her novel out of her hands. "Pay attention when I speak to you," he commanded.

And, Lily admitted, it was quite rude of her to keep reading, but seeing as this was the first time they had been alone together since their marriage assignment, she had no doubt about what it was he was going to talk to her about.

"So, you've been avoiding me?" James' face clouded over.

"Is it really that much of a surprise?" Lily asked gently. "We don't get on, James."

"Au contraire –"

"Don't speak French –"

"I believe we got on quite well when –"

"Don't say it out loud – "

James grinned triumphantly. "So I assume you know what incident I am referring to, then?"

"Yes," Lily admitted in an angry whisper. "I don't just go around snogging morons now, do I?"

James looked hurt for a fraction of a second, and then bounced back. "Look, Lily," He said softly. "I just wanted to say, you haven't mentioned the kiss, and neither have I. You're treating it like it means nothing, so I will too. Forget it ever happened. We'll get back to being Not-Friends."

And with that, he handed back her book, and as their fingers brushed, Lily had to question whether that was what she really wanted. "James?" She asked as he got to the portrait hole.

"Yeah?"

"Um … nevermind." Lily finished quickly, sticking her nose back into her book, rereading the same sentence over and over again until she realised her eyes were wet with almost tears.

Izzy walked downstairs a few minutes later. "Nearly ready for the careers thing, Lil?"

"Gee!" Lily snapped, wiping her eyes. "Can a girl not get any peace and quiet around here?" She got up and headed upstairs quickly, leaving Izzy behind.

"Okay." Izzy sighed. She must just be PMS'ing.

Remus came in a few minutes later. "Hey Iz."

"Hey Remus, do you know what's up with Lily?"

"Nope." Remus said. "But James headed out a few minutes ago looking like a lost and dejected puppy."

"Oh." That would explain it. "Should I go and …?"

"I'll deal with Lily." Remus said.

"She's in the girls' dorms," Izzy pointed out.

"We'll figure something out." Remus winked.

"Okay." Izzy shrugged, heading out into the corridor, towards the Marauders' collective angry place. The Astronomy Tower.

James was sitting near the edge, his toes dangling over, hair in his face. He ruffled it as he saw her approach. "Hey Is-A-Bella."

"Hey James." She sat down next to him, peering over the edge with a sick feeling in her stomach, wishing she wasn't so afraid of heights. "Good view," she observed, staring at the sun just heading towards the horizon.

"You didn't come here to admire the view, did you?"

"No."

"It's fine. I've given up. I tried one last time, but Lily doesn't like me. I'm done."

Izzy rested her head on his shoulder. "James you have become one of my best friends over this past year, and so is Lily. I don't think you should give up."

"You haven't been consistently embarrassing yourself in front of her for the past six years."

"I just don't think you should give up," Izzy said. "You don't have to listen, that's just what I think."

"Okay," James took a deep breath, leaning back and resting his chin atop her head. "Well, you don't have to listen to this, it's just what I think."

"Okay?"

"You're good for Sirius. He was a complete dick, but if you ever get the chance to make up, do it. Because you make him a good person. The kind of good person that I know he is underneath all the bullshit and cockiness."

Izzy blinked quickly for a few seconds. "Okay."

"Okay." James said, finalising the matter. "Should we go to this careers thing?"

Izzy took his hand. "I don't want to leave Hogwarts. Ever."

"Neither," James agreed as they headed to the Great Hall.

* * *

><p>After the expo, where Izzy actually found a few cool things she wanted to do, she took the long way to the common room, and as she walked past the suit of armour that she and Sirius had jokingly named Ollie a few moths back, a strong arm reached out and yanked her into a dark broom closet. "What the fuck?"<p>

Sirius' wand light flickered to life. "Hey, Iz." He grinned.

"What's with all the cloak and dagger shit?" Izzy asked crossly, folding her arms over her chest.

"I just wanted to …" Izzy had thought he was going to say talk, until he captured her lips with his own, backing her up against the cramped wall of the closet, hands sliding up the sides of her body.

"Oh my …" Izzy gasped. "What are you doing?"

"Do you want me to stop?" Sirius asked, eyes dark. "Because if you want me to, I'll leave."

Izzy thought about it for a minute. This was Sirius. She'd broken up with him a month ago, or maybe it was mutual, because of a massive fight. Even then, she hadn't really been sure what the fight was about. And James had said all that stuff, hadn't he? So she stepped forward into his familiar arms, hair already mussed and ruffled. "I don't want you to stop," she whispered, delicately trailing her fingers along his arm.

* * *

><p>Izzy snatched up her clothes after the 'incident', an involuntary smile on her face. She knew it was bad, but she had really enjoyed that. A lot.<p>

Sirius lazed behind her. "So," he asked cheekily. "What shall we do about that?" He'd always been known to charm women, and to be honest, he'd hoped he'd done just that to Izzy.

But Izzy knew Sirius, and she was wiser now. "I thought it was fun," she said. "But you cant be in a relationship, Sirius. It's like a psychological thing. So, I vote we just keep things … casual."

Sirius' eyes widened considerably. "You want …?"

"Let's face it. I'm friends with you. We already have enough of the emotional shit going on." She kept her face hard as she pulled on her boots. "Let's just keep it simple."

"Okay." Sirius agreed, still confused. "Friends … with benefits?"

"Sure." Izzy shrugged. "Bye Sirius." She blew him a kiss. "But you'll …"

Sirius finished the thought. "I haven't been seeing Marlene since my nose got broken," he said solemnly, running his finger down the slightly brooked line of his nose.

"Bye!" Izzy trilled as she grabbed her jumper and poked her head out of the closet, leaving when the coast was clear.

"Bye," Sirius said. God, that girl made his head spin.


	29. Bets and Lady Friends

**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**

**A/N: Once again, procrastinating rather than studying, here I am with another chapter! **

**Bets and Lady Friends**

They'd just finished the hardest training session on earth, because the finals were coming up, and Izzy hovered above the ground for a few seconds before dropping her broom in the shed and hurrying to get cleaned up before the others.

Izzy dragged her stuff into the changing rooms before everyone else and changed quickly, tearing off her clothes and showering quickly, hair in a knot on top of her head. She wrapped herself in a towel as she walked out where the rest of team was filing in, shimmying into her yellow sundress under the towel, pulling her hair out of its knot and brushing it slowly.

"It bugs me how you shower so quickly," James commented as he walked in.

"Why? Wanna perve?" Izzy grinned.

"Over my dead body," Sirius said, flopping down next to her on the bench.

"Bit jealous for the ex," James commented.

"Damn straight," Sirius chuckled, pulling off his shirt and chucking it on the floor.

"Pig," Izzy commented.

"But a pig with abs, right?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah," Izzy admitted.

Eventually he got up and went off to the showers, saturating himself in water. The rest of the team had left, and James was fiddling around in the equipment cupboard, so Izzy slipped into the bathrooms, giggling softly as she leant over the partition wall of crystallised glass. "Hey hottie."

Sirius turned. "Well, hello, friend." He grinned, turning around and kissing her firmly.

"Mm-hm," Izzy mumbled, wrapping her arms around his soaked neck, hair dripping onto her arms.

"Meet you in the boys' dorms?" Sirius whispered against her lips.

"Or here," Izzy laughed wickedly. "I could come in."

Sirius chuckled, but the two froze as footsteps clacked ever closer. "Shit!" Izzy whisper-shrieked.

"Where can you hide?" Sirius floundered, looking around the room with no hiding spots.

"I don't know!" Izzy whispered, as James got closer.

"Sirius!" He called, pushing open the door.

Sirius grabbed Izzy by the arm and pulled her into the shower cubicle, standing in front of her as she crouched in the corner, attempting not to laugh. Sirius leant over the partition wall. "Hey mate."

James leant against the door. "Sirius, was one of the bludgers mucking up?"

"It was a bit off," Sirius answered, pouring shampoo into his hand. "The one with the dent in it, I think."

James nodded. "Righto." He walked out, and Izzy stood before Sirius pushed her back against the wall as James walked in again. "Oh, and, have you seen Izzy? I cant find her but she's left her stuff."

"Nah, mate."

Sirius grabbed Izzy's hand as James walked back in yet again. "Yes, Prongs." Sirius said under sufferance.

"Sorry," James chuckled.

"What?"

"I don't remember now." And with that, he walked out, whistling cheerily.

Sirius pulled Izzy up and she kissed him passionately, arms around his neck. "Wanna have some fun?" She giggled.

He kissed her quickly on the lips, and pushed her out of the shower cubicle. "Out, get out, before he comes back."

"We could have just pretended to be chatting," She said as if the thought had just ocurred to her.

"No." Sirius said shortly. "It's awkward for blokes to chat while they're both showering, but is tolerated. Exes having a friendly chat while one of them is naked? No way."

"Okay," Izzy said, eyes wide. She didnt realise there were rules.

"Go." He whispered. "I'll meet you later!"

"I'll be waiting," Izzy said, tone sultry, winking at him as she wrung out her dress and skipped out of the changing rooms.

Shit, Sirius thought. That girl literally made him go mad with … something.

"Bye!" She trilled. She headed out to where her gym bag was lying on the bench.

"Iz!" James exclaimed. "Where were you? I was looking."

"I had to pee." Izzy shrugged.

"Hm," James looked unconvinced. "Okay." He swung her bag towards her and they walked out together.

Izzy smiled. "So, how are you Jamesie?"

"I'm alright," James nodded. "Sirius is acting less like a douche, lately, you know?"

"Hm," Izzy said, tone very non-committal.

"I thought it was only you that could do that," James joked.

"Oh," Izzy said. "Well, I don't … know exactly, why he is … acting like that."

James looked at her quizzically. "Jeez, Izzy. Could you act anymore suss? What's up with you?"

"Nothing," Izzy insisted. "I've got to go … finish my Potions assignment."

She began running up the slope, and James shook his head. "We _never _do Potions homework." Something very fishy was going on, and James was going to go all super-detective until he found out what it was.

* * *

><p>At dinner, Izzy was quiet, with a small smile on her face as she toyed with her shepherd's pie. "Izzy. Izzy. Isabella Flynn!" Alice shouted, waving a fork in her face.<p>

"Hm?" She looked confused.

Alice sighed. "James said you were doing Potions homework earlier today. Did you finish it?"

"Uh, no." Izzy giggled.

"You can help with question 2 though, right?"

"Uh, no." Izzy said shortly.

"How much of it did you do?" Alice asked.

Izzy made a face. "Ummm, none."

"What were you doing?"

Izzy sighed. "I got a little … distracted."

"By?" Mary asked.

"Okay, see ya." Izzy said.

"No, by what?"

"Oh, uh, you know."

"No, I don't, that's why I am asking."

"You had sex, didn't you?" Alice accused.

"Alice!" Lily gasped, shocked.

"Yeah, Alice!" Izzy frowned, taking a massive gulp of her pumpkin juice.

"Just asking," Alice muttered, holding up her hands.

"But you did, didn't you?" Mary asked as silence settled over them.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Don't act like such a prude, Iz." Mary snorted. "You've got a glow."

"I do not." She snapped.

"You do." Alice added.

"There's an after sex glow?" Lily asked.

"Yeah," Mary laughed. "And Izzy's got it."

"I don't."

"So, who was it?"

"No-one, I didn't, alright! God, butt out of my business!" And with that she stood and stormed out of the room, nearly taking out one of Peter's eyes on her way.

"Ten sickles says it was Alan Green." Mary stated quickly.

"Ex-boyfriend Alan Green?" Alice questioned. "Bold move, Mar."

"I'm feeling lucky!" She rubbed her hands together with glee.

"five Galleons says it was Sirius," Alice sorted the money out of the other junk she had in her pocket and put it down on the table.

"You're that confident?" Mary raised an eyebrow.

Lily shook her head. "You two!"

"What?"

"You cant bet on Izzy's love life!"

Alice gesticulated wildly. "Ah, but it's not her love life."

"It's her sex life," Mary explained.

Lily growled. "Well, while you two place your bets, I'm going to see if Izzy is okay."

"Find out who she slept with so we can settle this thing!" Alice called after her.

The Marauders stared down at the two girls. "Nothing to worry about," Mary called cheerily.

"Yeah! None of your business!" Alice added cheekily.

* * *

><p>A little earlier, a little further down the Gryffindor table.<p>

"So," James said. "Padfoot?"

"Yes?"

"You still seeing Marlene?"

"Um, no actually," Sirius admitted, pushing cauliflower around his plate. God, he hated the stuff.

"Oh," James said interestedly. "Well, then …"

"Why are you suddenly interested?" Sirius asked quickly.

"What?" James asked, acting insulted. "A friend cant ask about another friend's wellbeing?"

Remus chuckled. "That was more prying into his love life, actually."

"Sex life, in fact," Peter added mockingly.

"Shut up," Sirius flicked his broccoli at Peter.

"Oi!"

James sighed. "Children, children! Stop this. I was just wondering if Sirius has a current lady friend?"

Sirius sighed. "No, for whatever reason you want to know, you weirdo, I don't have a current 'lady friend.'"

"Alright." James said.

"Now can we get back to planning this prank on Snivellus please?" Sirius asked, waving his fork around.

"Sure." James acquiesced.

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>"We're all so touchy these days," Lily muttered to herself as she headed back to the common room, chocolate pudding sitting uncomfortably heavy in her stomach. Maybe she shouldn't have had that second piece.<p>

Lily was having a lot of regrets lately, actually. She kind of wished that:

1. She hadn't kissed James.

2. She hadn't been so rude when he'd asked her about it.

3. She hadn't been so quick to completely dismiss what could have been a good friendship, not that she would ever admit that to _anyone_.

Stupid boys at stupid Hogwarts, and stupid thoughts about James Potter that wouldn't leave Lily's stupid brain. Grr.

When she reached the top corridor, Izzy was leaning against the wall next to the Fat Lady's empty portrait. "Hey," Lily said softly.

Izzy gave a small smile. "Why is she never here?"

"She's probably playing poker with Sir Cadogan, again." Lily sat down next to Izzy and pulled her knees to her chest. "So. Did you have sex?"

"Why do you care, are you my mother?"

Lily sighed. "I'm not saying it like that. I'm just saying, if I went out with someone and had sex with them, I'd probably tell you. 'Cause you're my best friend."

Izzy felt guilty. "Well, we aren't going out."

"Oh. So it's a bit of a casual thing, then?" Lily asked. She didn't know how to deal with that.

Izzy looked at her and laughed, self-deprecatingly. "I didn't think I would ever do it either. I mean, it's great when we … you know, but then, the rest of the time I just feel like shit."

"Why?" Lily prodded softly.

"Because …" Izzy embarrassedly wipe away tears. "Because … I'm pretending I'm something I'm not and I cant back out now, because it was kind of my idea."

Lily thought she knew what boy Izzy was talking about, but if she didn't want to say it, then Lily wouldn't either. "Mary and Alice are downstairs taking bets on who it is." She said, trying to lighten the mood.

"How much is my sex life worth?" Izzy asked.

"Five Galleons."

"Eh. Not bad."

Lily suddenly felt better, and she hoped Izzy did too. "Shall we go and get some more pudding?"

"Sure," Izzy agreed, and they walked downstairs arm in arm. Izzy laughed after a few seconds. "I can practically feel you burning with curiosity, Lil. You'll find out eventually, I'm sure."

"You never were good at keeping secrets," Lily laughed.

Reviews please everybody!


	30. Detectives and Announcements

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: ANOTHER UPDATE? I am on FIRE!**

**Detectives and Announcements:**

James was officially Mr Super Detective, on duty. James saw Sirius and Izzy standing by the door to the Great Hall, and he completely ignored whatever Remus was saying to him, trying to hear the conversation. Izzy had a box of chocolates in her hand, smiling, pushing her dark hair behind one ear.

Sirius chuckled and touched her arm as he moved to go. James patted Remus on the arm and skidded over there. "Hey Iz. Where'd you get the chocolates from?"

"Sirius," Izzy said, frowning at him. "Why?"

"Why's he giving you chocolates?"

"Because I gave him my Potions assignment," Izzy made up on the spot. In truth they had been a very out of the blue gift, considering Izzy and Sirius hadn't spoken for about a week.

"Why did you do that?" James said, momentarily distracted by the fact that he was now the only one who hadn't finished that assignment.

"Because he said he'd give me chocolates," Izzy said slowly. "I can see this getting very Never-Ending Circle-y, and I've gotta go. Later James."

* * *

><p>Izzy was walking along the corridor when Ollie the Sex Suit of Armour, Sirius had lengthened his name after their little rendezvous in the closet behind him, moved. She stopped. Must be a trick of the light. How would he be moving? But it was. Every time she turned and looked back, it would have moved a bit further.<p>

She dropped her messenger bag, pulled out her wand, and stalked up to the suit, standing on tiptoes and flipping open the visor to see the very familiar, very guilty, dark eyes of James Potter.

"What are you doing?" Izzy exploded, beginning to walk away. "You've been acting very … odd, lately."

James' voice was muffled. "You, Miss Flynn, are the one who's been acting odd!" He yelled. "And I will find out what it is if it's the last thing I do!"

Izzy had just about made it to the corner when James reluctantly called, "Izzy?"

"What?"

"I'm stuck."

* * *

><p>Izzy began washing her hands with soap, when looking in the mirror, she saw someone who definitely shouldn't be there lounging against the wall. "James!" She snapped. "This is the girls' bathroom!"<p>

"Well, what else was I going to do?" James shrugged.

"Um, stopped stalking me, so we wouldn't be in this weird situation?"

"I'm not stalking you. You're acting suss, and I'm investigating." James said calmly.

"_You're _acting suss," Izzy muttered, wiping her hands. "Look," she said, trying to get James off her back. "Why don't you go and stalk Sirius? He's always acting suss."

"Hm," James stroked his chin.

"Bye James," Izzy rolled her eyes as they exited the bathroom, two first year girls giving them a bit of an odd look.

He ran after her. "Is something going on between you and Sirius?"

"No." Izzy said, trying to laugh. "That's ridiculous!"

"Well, you want me to stalk him for you, so …"

"No," Izzy corrected. "What I said was, 'stop stalking me,' you can stalk Sirius or you can go back and stalk Lily if you want."

"No, it's fine. Sirius will do." James said. He was now _sure _there was something going on. And he was going to catch them in the act. Well, he didn't really want to catch them in the act, because hello? But he was going to uncover their dirty secret.

* * *

><p>The Marauder boys were bored. Very, very bored. Hence the reason why they snuck out, "borrowed" some Firewhiskey, and came back to the boys' dormitory, deciding to get absolutely smashed while listening to the commentary of the Chudley Cannons game on James' transistor radio and eating Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans.<p>

As James yelled at the radio, Sirius wondered when they had gotten so sad. Like, really, Saturday night and they were just lying in their rooms. Usually they would be doing something totally epic, like setting off fireworks or holding a party.

Down in the common room, Izzy draped her legs across Alice. "Where are the boys?" She asked curiously. "It's very quiet tonight."

"They're upstairs," Lily said emotionlessly as she flipped through Witch Weekly. "Ew," she said, "Some skank from the Salem Witch Institute won Miss Witch of the Year."

Alice turned the magazine so she could see. "Gross," she pouted. "Bloody Yanks."

"She's still in school," Mary said, "how does she have the time to slut it up and win the Slut of the Year award?"

Izzy sighed. "I'm going to check the Quidditch score."

The girls waved her off. "Hello boys!" Izzy trilled as she rounded the corner. "Does everyone have pants on?"

"Yes," James chuckled. "What do you think we do up here?"

"Well, I don't know." Izzy answered. "That's why I have to check!"

"Score is 150 to 10." Sirius said, cigarette dangling from his hand.

"Shit." Izzy said. "Technically the Cannons could win this."

"Don't sound so surprised," James reprimanded.

"Sorry," Izzy laughed. "Well, bye boys!"

She left, waving, her bracelets jingling on her left arm. Sirius took another drag from his cigarette, and he wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or if he was just using the booze as an excuse to tell someone, but he said, "I've been sleeping with Izzy."

James nearly choked. "I … I knew it!" He yelled. "I've been trying to catch you for _weeks!"_

"Stalker," Sirius accused.

Remus was quietly surprised, clearing his throat a little, and Peter was asleep. Just then, Gideon and Fabian Prewett walked in the door. "What was that, dear Sirius?" Fabian asked.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Obviously you heard me."

"Yes," Gideon chuckled. "Yes, yes we did."

"Why haven't you told us?" James asks loudly.

"Because, she wants us to keep it casual." Sirius stated, just loud enough for them to hear. Okay, now he was feeling a little tipsier, telling this to a room full of seventeen year old boys.

Fabian's eyes were wide. "But … oh my god! Sirius, king of casual sex wants to tell people. He wants an actual relationship! Gid, grab our stuff and let's get the hell out of here, because I think the world must be ending!"

"Shut up, smart ass," Sirius said sourly.

James grinned. "So, what's the problem?"

"She doesn't want us to tell people, she hasn't spoken to me in a week, and now we aren't even …"

"Having sex," James supplied casually.

"Yes," Sirius said, under sufferance.

Gideon smiled wisely. "Obviously she now wants to tell people, also, but thinks you don't want to. My man, you are going to be stuck in a vicious circle if you don't fix this shit, soon." He clapped Sirius on the shoulder.

"Thanks, for that." Sirius said. "Well, now I've told you gits everything when I shouldn't have, got any advice for me? I'm already completely humiliated, how can it get worse?"

"Do something public," James said. "Tell her in front of everyone."

"Tell her what?"

"That you love her," Remus explained.

"But, I –"

"Don't even pretend you don't," Fabian ordered.

Sirius sneered unattractively at him.

James continued, "So, tell her that you love her in the Great Hall or something."

Sirius snorted. "Yeah, 'cause that works so well for you and Evans."

"Shut up," James snapped. "Totally different situation. Merlin, do you want my advice or not?"

"Okay," Sirius drew the word out uncertainly. "When should I …?"

"Alright boys!" James clapped his hands. "Let's start brainstorming."

So Sirius sat back and had another cigarette while James organised his love life for him. Sirius was just completely mortified that he'd admitted that, drunk or not. And was entirely unsure if this was what Izzy wanted, or if he was even brave enough to do it. But he was going ahead with it now. It was far too late for him to change his mind.

* * *

><p>Izzy woke up on Monday, and it was like any other day, expect it was raining buckets, and she had a cold. A very loud, sniffly, disgusting cold. "Stay in bed," Lily said soothingly.<p>

"I can't," Izzy said, voice muffled and throat blocked. She wrapped her big black woolly scarf around her neck. "I have that Potions thing." She pulled on her knitted socks over her tights, and her big black boots, however non-regulation they were.

Alice grimaced when she caught sight of Izzy. Her hair was in a ratty bun and her cheeks and the end of her nose were bright pink. "I feel like shit," Izzy almost wanted to cry.

"Stay away. Contagious." Alice said firmly.

Mary grinned. "So full of love, Al." She put a comforting arm around Izzy. "Come on, baby. Let's go."

"Thanks," Izzy sniffed, heading downstairs.

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were sitting in the corner whispering fiercely. They immediately quieted as the two girls approached. "Whoa." Sirius said. "You look like shit."

Izzy grabbed a tissue from her pocket. "Thanks. You know I hate you, right? Tosser."

Mary glared at him as she steered Izzy toward the portrait hole. James glared at Sirius. "You're an idiot. You know that, right?"

"Yeah." Sirius admitted, looking defeated. "I know."

"You'd better hope she doesn't chuck pumpkin juice in your face when you do your thing this morning."

Sirius clapped Remus on the shoulder. "That can be your job. Remove all liquid and food substances from her when I do this. Okay?"

"Of course," Remus tried to look serious.

Izzy sat at the back of the hall, resting her head on the table, eyes closed. "Have some tea," Lily instructed.

"No thanks."

"Well, you need to eat something."

"Later."

The girls were still arguing about whether Izzy had to eat breakfast when Sirius approached the teacher's table, butterflies in his stomach. "Sorry, professors," He said. "Do you mind if I make a bit of an announcement?"

McGonagall pursed her lips. "Whatever this is, Mr Black, the rest of the term with weekend detentions looms over your head, are we clear?"

"Crystal," Sirius gulped.

Dumbledore grinned. "Go ahead, Mr Black."

He stood in front of the table and pointed his wand at his own neck. "_Sonorus." _He whispered, and cleared his throat, the noise echoing around the entire room.

His voice reverberated as he began. "Um, hi everyone. I'd like to say a few words, if you wouldn't mind."

The Hall quieted. A few Slytherins jeered, and Regulus sneered as Sirius gave him a mocking wave, but McGonagall silenced them with a look.

"Um," Mary said, nudging Izzy, forcing her to open her eyes and sit up. "I think you're going to want to see this."

"So everyone," Sirius said nervously, rubbing his hands together, and then gesturing to where Izzy and the girls were seated. "I'd just like you all to be witness to what I have to say to one Isabella Flynn, sitting up the back of the Hall over there …"

***gasp* cliffhanger! Reviews make me update faster! Mwahahahahaha!**


	31. Confessions and Dates

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: OMG! How exciting was the last chapter! It's all coming down to the wire my friends!**

**And I just want to mention: The Converse Queen, Voodoo Lilies, JustSaraa, thebritishone and COUNTLESS other lovely reviewers. Thank you. It's a small thing, but I love that I'm getting such positive feedback and that this little idea I had one afternoon has turned into what I think is an alright story. Ahem. Read on….**

_Previously on Bedlam and Broomsticks (imagine one of the voice over guys!)_

"_Um," Mary said, nudging Izzy, forcing her to open her eyes and sit up. "I think you're going to want to see this."_

"_So everyone," Sirius said nervously, rubbing his hands together, and then gesturing to where Izzy and the girls were seated. "I'd just like you all to be witness to what I have to say to one Isabella Flynn, sitting up the back of the Hall over there …"_

**_Confessions and Dates_**

Izzy was now wide-awake. Oh my goodness. She clutched Mary's hand so tight that she nearly squealed. "Ow," Mary complained.

James and Remus were suddenly standing behind her, smiling reassuringly, not that Izzy felt any better. She looked back toward the front of the Hall, where Sirius had climbed on to the Gryffindor table, and was walking towards them. He accidentally tipped a platter of bacon on to a first year. "Oops, sorry mate! My bad!"

He cleared his throat. "Anyway. Izzy, we've had our ups and downs in the past, but none of that matters now.

He still looked nervous. "I just want everyone to hear this. I'm not embarrassed, I'm not going to run away this time, this time, I'm ready.

"When I think about you, I think about our Muggle Studies assignment. When everything was easy, and I fell asleep beside you every night."

Professor McGonagall looked shocked, but Dumbledore held her back. "I want … I want to do that with you for the rest of my life, Iz. I don't usually think in the long term, but whenever I do, you're always right there. Right there beside me. You make me a better person and I … I. I love you."

Izzy was embarrassed to realise she had tears in her eyes. She sniffed, and pulled out a tissue. "Sorry." She whispered, letting Mary's hand go.

Sirius continued. "I'll take care of you, and I'll never again make a comment like I did this morning."

James, Remus and Izzy laughed.

He shook his head. "Shockingly, with you, Isabella, this casual thing really isn't what I want. I need all of you, or not at all, because it hurts too much any other way."

Izzy stood, wiping her eyes, realising she could barely even say anything. He took her hand. "Come on,' he whispered.

"No." She laughed.

"Get up here."

"No, I cant."

"Come on, I did."

Izzy shrugged with a small smile, letting him pull her up onto the tabletop. He tucked her under his arm and whispered in her ear. "The entire room heard, Sirius the Player is no more." He turned to the Hall, grinning. "And this is _the _dorkiest thing I've ever done. I'd just like to thank you all for listening … to me make a fool out of myself."

James grinned, sitting down next to Lily and Mary, pointing his wand at Sirius and undoing the Sonorus charm. James wolf-whistled. "Go on, kiss her!"

"Yeah!" The girls cheered.

Izzy looked around at them from the embrace of Sirius' arms. "I have a cold," she said.

"I don't care," he grinned, pressing his lips to hers. He entire Gryffindor table erupted into cheers, and Dumbledore sat back in his chair with a smile. "Young love." He shook his head. "Oh, to be young and sprightly!"

Even Professor McGonagall sat back and finished her breakfast with a smile on her face. She tried to cover it up of course.

Lily looked over at James' self-satisfied smirk as Sirius and Izzy nearly toppled off the table, climbing down unsteadily. "You had something to do with that, didn't you?" She accused, though still smiling.

"Little bit," James admitted modestly.

"You big old softie, James Potter!" Lily nudged him with her elbow.

James looked at her, and said quietly, "Yep. That's me."

Lily touched his arm. "James, I …"

James stood. "Sorry, Lily. I have to, umm, go."

Mary and Alice looked at Lily side on, as if to scared to say anything. Lily dropped her fork by her plate and sighed. "Unbelievable," she muttered angrily. She was a total idiot, she thought to herself. She'd had the chance for the past six years to say what she suddenly felt was on her mind, and now he didn't want to hear it. Lily sighed. I might actually be mentally deranged, she thought.

She stood, resolutely. And storming out of the hall, she caught up with James, red hair wildly falling over her shoulders. "What was that?" She asked snappishly.

James turned around, ruffling his hair, eyes confused through his round spectacles. "What?"

"I finally say something nice to you, James Potter! And you brush me off!" Lily yelled. "Admittedly, it's my fault, because, let's face it, I can be a real bitch where you're concerned!"

"Uh-"

"But I was trying to make up for it! I was going to apologise! And you do not have the _right _to take that away from me! Are we clear?"

"Oh, you arrogant prick," Lily snapped. "Do I have to do everything or are you going to meet me halfway?"

But James didn't get a chance to meet her halfway. Lily swept forward, grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him firmly. "Does that give you a bit of a hint that it might be safe for you to ask me out again? Or should I do that too?" Lily asked.

James was practically in shock. "Lily, I – "

"Thick headed tosser," she muttered. "James, I would like to apologise for my actions in the past. Perhaps you would also like to apologise for humiliatingly me on a frequent basis for the past six years?" She gave a not-so-subtle hint.

"Ah, yes, that I would like to do." James stuttered. "Sorry, Lily."

"That's alright," She said graciously.

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me on the weekend?"

"Yes, I would." Lily said calmly. "Thank you." And with that, she turned on her heel and began to walk away. After a few seconds, she turned back to a positively frozen, confused James. "Are you coming? Transfiguration?"

"Sure," James said, hurrying to catch up with her.

Remus and Mary watched from the door of the Hall. "It's a day for romance," Mary commented laughingly.

"It sure is, my love." Remus said, kissing the tip of her nose. "Let's go." He draped an arm about her shoulders and they too headed towards the Transfiguration classroom.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Where is Frank?" She muttered of her forgetful boyfriend. If everyone else was getting lovey-dovey, she was going to find him and ditch her first class of the day.

Sirius and Izzy were still sitting at the table in the Great Hall. Dumbledore had winked at them as he'd walked past, and McGonagall had left them with a stern, "Don't be late to class."

* * *

><p>"Achoo!" Izzy sneezed again. She and Sirius had finally made it to the Transfiguration classroom, and Izzy wasn't sure if she was hallucinating, but she thought that James and Lily were sitting together. "Ow," she said miserably.<p>

Professor McGonagall leant over her desk. "Ms Flynn, go to bed. Don't infect the other students with your cold."

"Sure," Izzy said pathetically, sniffing as she gathered up her things. She left, Sirius kissing her cheek gently.

McGonagall tapped Sirius on the shoulder. "Get her some Cold Cure from Madam Pomfrey at lunch."

"Certainly, Professor," he said, looking out the door.

"Interesting announcement you made today Mr Black," She said dryly.

"Yeah, well. She's …"

"Different," McGonagall said, as if she understood.

"Yep. That she is." He chuckled.

* * *

><p>Sirius ditched the rest of his classes. He got the Cold Cure from Madam Pomfrey, and then called Izzy down from the girls' dormitories so they could cuddle up together in his bed. "I can't believe you made that confession in front of everyone, to me when I'm so sick and disgusting," Izzy admitted, almost delusional.<p>

"It doesn't matter whether you're sick and disgusting," Sirius said casually, as if it didn't matter. "You're still Izzy."

She smiled. "Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"There are two weeks until our exams. There are around three weeks until Hogwarts will be over."

"I know," Sirius said, tucking her more comfortably into the blankets.

"What will we do?" Izzy asked quietly.

Sirius looked determined. "I'm going to join the Order of the Phoenix," he said truthfully.

"Me too," Izzy said. "But what will _we_ do?"

"We always have the Crap Shack," Sirius suggested.

"That's true, I guess," Izzy laughed.

"I don't know what we'll do," Sirius said, kissing the side of her head. "But we'll do it together."

"Yeah," Izzy looked sad. "I hope so."

**Reviews please? **


	32. Mothers and NEWTs

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: My bad, dear pumpkins! Wanted to get this updated earlier but had my English exam this morning. Only just got the power of my hand back actually. And my Shift key is broken. It's weird typing with the other one so everything is going extra slow.**

**But no excuses or anything! :P Read on ….**

**Mothers and N.E.W.T's**

Lily was pacing. And seeing as Izzy had spent almost all of last night with Sirius, trying to study in the library, trying being the operative word in that sentence, she was tired.

"Oh my god," Lily kept repeating. "Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. The N.E.W.T's are today. _Today."_

"We know, Lily." Mary said tiredly. "Don't freak out."

She was wringing her hands. "I have to freak out. I went out with Potter yesterday rather than studying my bloody arse off!"

"But you had fun, right?"

"Not the point!" Lily screeched. Izzy pulled the covers off her face.

"Lil, chill out. Frown lines, babe."

"Get up," Lily yanked Izzy's feet from under the covers.

"Go away, Ms Grumpy Butt!" Izzy yelled.

Alice giggled. "We thought you'd chill out when you were getting some!"

"Alice!" Lily reprimanded.

"We're getting up!" Mary yelled, wrapping herself in a sheet.

"Ooh!" Izzy winced. "Mar's got angry hair." And she did, her hair was the only thing Izzy could see over the sheet wrapped around her was a halo of frizzy hair.

And Izzy was pretty soon going to have angry hair. She grabbed her alarm clock. "Lily. Lily, please explain this to me. Why? Why on earth would you do this to me?"

Lily shrugged. "Sorry. I was freaking."

"We know." Alice said.

Mary turned back from the bathroom. "It's five a.m. Lily _freaking _Evans, it is five o'clock in the morning and you woke me. Got me out of bed. At _five a.m. in the morning!"_

"We could study some more before the exam," Lily suggested weakly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"No." Mary said. "I'm going to wake up my boyfriend. Because if I'm awake he should be. And we're going to snuggle in the common room and do nothing until 8 o'clock. Then, and only then will I cram for my exam and maybe, just maybe, shower."

"Me too," Izzy said resolutely.

She wrapped her crochet blanket around her shoulders and headed down the stairs, and then up the other stairs. Mary crept in first, putting her hand to Remus' forehead. "Remus. Remus, wake up."

Izzy walked in, crochet draped about her. "Boys!" She trilled. "Wakey wakey, children!"

"Who is that?" Peter groaned.

"It's me, Petey boy!" Izzy said. She perched on the end of his bed. "Good morning, lover!" She called, poking Sirius in the side.

"Gnngh."

"You weren't calling me that, where you, Iz?" James chuckled.

"No, I was telling the one who doesn't seem to speak English anymore."

Mary chuckled.

"How did your date go, Jamesie?" Izzy asked.

"I don't know," James sighed. "I think … I really … like her."

Sirius rolled on to his back. "Can we take the girly talk somewhere else?"

"Cranky in the morning," Mary commented.

Izzy poked him. "Come on."

"Oh my god!" James bellowed. "It's five a.m!"

"Yeah," Mary said dryly. "Don't blame us, your girlfriend woke us."

"Come on," Izzy beckoned. "We're all going downstairs."

"No." Sirius groaned.

"Siri?" Izzy said sweetly. "Do you want me to use sex as a bargaining tool?"

"No," Sirius muttered, wrapping his doona around himself and shuffling out with her.

Eventually, once everyone was downstairs, everyone else asleep upstairs, except for Fabian and Gideon, asleep on their textbooks by the fire, they all sat draped across armchair and each other, reminiscing, chatting, but definitely not studying except for Lily.

James chuckled, palcing a hand on her shoulder. "Lil, relax, if you've haven't learnt it by now, you aren't going to."

"Thanks, thanks for that Potter!"

"Ooh, you're being called Potter again," Izzy winced. "Not a good sign."

Sirius draped an arm about Izzy. "I love you," He said sadly. "I made an entire announcement about it. How do you repay me? You wake me up at five in the morning. I thought we had something better than that, Iz." He turned away.

"Ha ha," Izzy said sourly. "Talk to Lily about that."

"Lily?"

"I just thought you'd want to study," she tried to justify as she frantically highlighted phrases in her textbook.

"I don't want this to end," Alice admitted.

"What?"

"The fighting, the laughing, the weird Lily stuff, the weird James stuff." She listed. "I just don't want ot have to graduate from Hogwarts."

"Mmm," They all agreed.

"I don't even know what I want to do," Izzy admitted.

"I just don't want … us to forget about each other. Okay?" Lily asked.

"Sure," Izzy said.

Sirius grinned. "How about this? Celebratory week long vacation at the Crap Shack? On me?"

"Yes!" Izzy squealed, pecking him on the cheek. "I _knew _there was a reason I didn't hex you when you started airing our dirty laundry in front of everyone, including Dumbledore."

"Airing our dirty -?" Sirius looked mystified.

James sighed. "Some sort of Muggle metaphor, I assume."

Izzy frowned. "Seriously. You've never heard that before?"

"Nope."

"You have much to learn, young one." She sighed.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "About Transfiguration. Chuck me that textbook, would you, Lil?"

She smiled, almost confused. "You want to study? Now?"

"Better late than never right?" He grinned.

Izzy laughed. And infectious, bubbly sound, that made Sirius want to smile as widely as he'd ever done before.

* * *

><p>After breakfast the group stood around waiting to be allowed into the hall. "What if I fail?" Lily kept wailing.<p>

Izzy kept trying to smile but it came out more like a grimace. "What if I want to be an Auror?" She wasn't sure what she wanted and kept asking about the grades needed for different careers.

"All O's," Lily said.

"A Healer?"

"All O's," Lily repeated. "Pick less intense careers."

"But I don't know what I want to do!" Izzy wailed.

"Ladies, ladies," James said. "Relax. It'll all be fine."

Lily turned red. "James! This is the start of the rest of my life!"

"And if you want to be in it, don't try and calm the dragon," Izzy whispered to him.

McGonagall stepped out of the hall, looking solemn. "Go to your assigned seating, please. Complete silence is required!"

"Good luck," Sirius pecked Izzy on the cheek.

* * *

><p>Around a week later, the exams were over. It was the night before their graduation ceremony, and James and Sirius had of course organised a party. "The biggest of the year," James had described with shining eyes.<p>

And it was. Izzy sat on the floor beside the window that Sirius was leaning against, watching James climb a little unsteadily on to the coffee table, tapping his goblet with a knife that he'd found, god knows where. "Excuse me!"

He was pretty ineffective at getting the crowd to shut up, so Sirius and Izzy shared a look before both yelling, "Shut up! All of you!"

James grinned. "Thanks." He took a deep breath. "So, this is a party for those who are leaving, next year, such as me and my friends. We're the seventh years, and we know you'll miss us." He chuckled. "This is also a party for the champions of the Quidditch cup, captained by yours truly."

"Woooo!" Izzy cheered along with the team.

"My point is," James continued. "We aren't really leaving. I may be done with school, but I'll be a Gyrffindor forevermore!" He shouted. Then the shot of Firewhiskey he'd had before must have kicked in, because he got all excited. "Our blood runs red and gold, my friends! We are the next generation! We are the lions among our peers! We are GRYFFINDOR!"

Izzy cheered along with the rest of them, grinning wildly. "God, he's pissed," she commented to Sirius.

Sirius grinned and roared, "His blood runs red and gold!"

Izzy laughed, and James began to speak again. "Thanks for appreciating my impromptu speech there, but my actual message was meant to be, Remus the Prefect says it's bedtime for first to third years." There was a groan. "Come guys, it is past midnight," James coaxed. "Besides, I'm still Head Boy and I won't hesitate to throw my weight around a bit. Okay Nigel?"

Nigel just poked his tongue out at James before climbing the stairs to the dorms. Izzy laughed. "Aren't his parents going to go spare when they see him tomorrow?"

Sirius chuckled. "James can act surprisingly non-hungover when he needs to."

Just then, the portrait swung open and McGonagall stood there in her robe, hair wild, eyes dark. The entire room was silent. She shook her head. "Don't make too much noise," she ordered, looking at them almost fondly as she left, muttering, "I want to get some sleep tonight."

Izzy smiled sadly. "Aw. McGonagall actually does love us."

"We graduate tomorrow." Sirius said as if he couldn't believe it. We're going to go out into the real world, and there will be no McGonagall telling us right from wrong."

"We're screwed," Izzy laughed, only half-joking.

Sirius sighed heavily.

"Don't think about it," Izzy ordered. She stood and grabbed his hand. "Let's dance and get a little tipsy, okay? But not so tipsy that my mum notices, because I don't have the superpower of acting non-hungover on command!"

Sirius agreed, grinning. "So I get to meet your mum tomorrow, eh?"

"Yeah," Izzy said quietly. "If you want."

"She hot?" Sirius asked, deadpan.

"Sirius!"

"Just kidding," he laughed, kissing her on the side of her head.

"Don't say anything like that to her, okay?" Izzy said. "Pretty sure she already wants to castrate you."

"Why?"

"Well," Izzy drew the word out. "I kind of … told her about us. Everything about us."

"Even about …?"

"Everything," Izzy clarified. "What was I going to do, Sirius? She's my best friend, I tell her everything!"

"That's fine," Sirius said cheekily. "I'll just have to work extra hard to charm her, alright?"

Izzy was doubtful.

**Reviews please?**


	33. Houses and High Heels

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: This one took a little longer. I had three exams today. Also, stole a line from Grey's Anatomy when Derek and Addison are still married, see if you can pick it! :)**

**Houses and High Heels**

Izzy's mother was … well, she was kind of hippy, there was no around it. Izzy was dressed in her black Audrey Hepburn-esque dress with bright yellow pumps, that were sinking into the grass as she walked.

White chairs were set out in neat rows across the grass, a marquee set up with a lectern underneath. All the seventh years were dressed to the nines, girls in heels with fancy, dressy hair, the boys in suits and ties. Parents were just arriving, milling up from the gates, dads looking astonishingly proud and mothers holding handkerchiefs just in case.

Izzy's mother, Maria Flynn, walked across the grass with her shoes in her hand, and stopped by the lake, floaty blue dress trailing behind her, long blonde hair falling down her back in waves.

Izzy stood on the opposite side of the grass, near the walls, yellow shoes in her hand, pushing her dark hair off her face, laughing as she spoke to Sirius. "What's your mother like?" He asked curiously.

"She's … " Izzy shook her head. "I love her, but she's nothing like me!" She laughed.

"I'll try and pick her out, shall I?" Sirius asked, taking off his jacket and slipping an arm about her waist. He surveyed the crowd of parents hovering near the seats, and then … "Ow!"

"What?" Izzy said.

"Why is your stiletto stabbing me in the leg and not on your foot?"

"Sorry," Izzy said.

Sirius grinned, looking away from the crowd of parents to a woman in a blue dress, her shoes hanging off her hands. "That one."

Izzy grinned. "That's her."

"Should we go over?"

Izzy started to walk towards the lake, and her mother. "You're the first boyfriend to be eager about meeting the mother."

"Well …" Sirius shrugged, as they continued.

Maria Flynn turned, hair whirling, smile on her youthful looking face. "Iz!" She exclaimed, gathering her only daughter up in her arms. "I've missed you!"

Izzy tucked her face into her mother's collarbone and Sirius observed how different the two actually were. The blonde woman was light, where Izzy was dark. Maria Flynn was tall, while Izzy was small. Maria was slender and soft, where Izzy was hard with muscle.

They pulled apart and Izzy smiled sheepishly. "Mum, this is Sirius."

"The boyfriend?" Maria laughed, taking Sirius' hand and shaking it vigorously. "Or the horrible man-whore? Sometimes I forget what you are." She grinned wickedly.

"Um," Sirius stumbled, frowning.

"Sorry," Izzy mouthed, frowning.

"I'm Maria, anyway," She said.

"And I'm Sirius."

"I know this."

"I know, I just …"

"You don't have a lot of experience in meeting mothers, do you?" Maria asked cheekily.

"Mum," Izzy cringed.

Sirius tried a weak smile. "It's alright," he chuckled.

"Izzy!" Lily yelled across the grass space.

Izzy touched both her mother and Sirius on the arm. "I gotta go." She said. "Play nice."

Maria laughed, wild and carefree. Sirius gave an almost reassuring smile. And Izzy walked away.

"Do you …" Maria smiled ruefully. "I know you're young, but …"

"I love her," Sirius said simply. "More than … well, I just do."

"I don't want to play the mum card, okay?" Maria said. "But I have to. You remind me of … well, my ex-boyfriend. Izzy's dad. A man who I will never, and do not want to ever, see again."

"Oh."

"You have the hair," Maria observed calmly, staring towards her daughter who was standing deep in intense conversation with Lily.

Sirius ran a hand self-consciously through his dark black slightly wavy long hair. "Excuse me?"

"The slut hair," Maria explained. "It's not your fault, but …"

Sirius laughed. "You're judging me on my hair, now? I think that's a little unfair."

Then the floaty, funny, odd mother of Isabella Flynn got serious. "The hair is a part of it," She said lightly. "But I know you. Because Izzy has told me about you. and when she isn't happy with someone, she can be a right bitch, you know that, right?"

"But …"

"I'm not going to tell Izzy that I hate you," Maria stated calmly, crossing her arms and turning to face the lake.

"You hate me?"

"Mm, undecided."

"Okay." Sirius drew the word out. He turned to face Maria. "I will do anything I can to show you that I will never ever hurt your daughter again. That any wrong I have done by you or Izzy I will fix. Just …"

Maria smiled.

"Whatever I have done I will fix it, but …"

And simultaneously, they said. "Don't mention it to Izzy."

"She'll freak," Sirius said.

"And try to fix things," Maria shuddered.

Sirius and Maria smiled as Izzy came and grabbed them by the arms, dragging them over to the seats. "Come on! It's starting."

Maria smiled, "Bye graduates." She peered around. "Do they serve coffee here?"

"Wait until after the ceremony," Izzy whispered fiercely, leaning over Sirius' arm as he shepherded her to her seat.

The ceremony was long, half the girls cried, and the boys pretended they didn't care by acting all manly, but of course they did. And Lily and James made a speech. Lily smiled slightly, eyes sad. "Today is our last day. And we're all feeling it," she gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Hogwarts, and the teachers here that help us to … literally grow up, coddle us. We've grown up in a little Hogwarts bubble, and none of us ever want to leave.

"Hogwarts is like our parents while our own are at home. Hogwarts is a teacher, and the teachers inside these hallowed halls are also our mentors, and we want to thank you for all that you do for us."

James stepped up. "I think Lily's said it all." He chuckled. "Hogwarts is a place where you make friends for life. And not just my fellow Gryffindors, but everyone here. We've got a bond. And we're the next people to go out into the world and make something of ourselves. And I know we can do it."

Sirius whisper-laughed. "Very inspiring."

"Very much so," Izzy waved at the Head Boy and Girl as they stepped to the side of the stage. James whispered something in Lily's ear and she giggled. "Aw."

"So that's finally coming together," Sirius observed.

"Thanks to me."

"Not that you're manipulative or anything."

"Not at all. Shush."

As they were leaving the ceremony to head back to the Great Hall, Sirius asked, "So? What's the deal with your dad?"

Izzy stiffened next to him. "He's a Muggle. And not … in my life."

"Okay." Sirius said, accepting. "It's not like I can talk about fucked up families."

"We're not fucked up," Izzy said forcefully. They walked in silence for a few seconds. "Sorry," she said, cringing. "We probably are. I just don't like to talk about it."

"Your mum's cool."

"She is, isn't she?"

Maria caught up with them and Izzy linked their arms, heading over to James and his parents. "Mum, this is James," Izzy introduced.

"Ah, the very talented Chaser!" Maria exclaimed, shaking his hand.

"Don't feed his ego!" Izzy begged as James puffed out his chest.

A matronly woman had her arm around James' shoulders. "Yes, please don't."

"These are my parents," James introduced them all.

As they entered the castle, Maria asked, "So Sirius, where are your parents?"

Sirius had seen them during the ceremony. They were sitting with Bellatrix and her parents, rather than their own son, not that he really minded. "Uh …"

"Mum," Izzy warned.

"No it's fine," Sirius said placidly. He explained to Maria, "My parents and I differ on our views related to certain … things, and as such, we don't speak. Well, we speak when we have to, but I don't live with them."

"Oh," Maria said. "Sorry about that, dear."

"It's fine," Sirius said. "I like to think of the Potters as my family." He grinned.

Mrs Potter turned back and held his chin in her hand. "And we're happy to have you, dear."

"Too right." James and Mr Potter agreed.

As they sat at the table for lunch, Maria leant forward, eyes shining. "So? News? I've sold the house. I'm going to travel."

Izzy felt the floor of her world drop out from under her. Well, not quite, but still … "Mum!"

"What?" Maria looked confused.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do!" Izzy ranted. "I have no money! I don't know where I'll go! I was kind of counting on home being a constant!"

Maria giggled uncertainly. "Sorry, love."

Izzy rolled her eyes. "Great." Then she brightened. "well, while we're dropping bombshells, I'm going to be a Healer."

Maria winced. "Four years of school, and years as an intern. That's a lot of no money."

"Yep." Izzy sighed.

Sirius grinned. "I always have the Crap Shack."

Maria turned towards him, Mum look in her eyes. "That sounds promising."

"Well, my uncle left me his place." Sirius explained. "I have a few extra rooms?"

Maria grimaced. "I'm not sure this is such a good idea."

Izzy pecked Sirius on the cheek. "Well, maybe you shouldn't have sold our house." She said sweetly.

"There is a land called Passive Agressiva and you are their queen," Maria said, as she often did.

"And I embrace it," Izzy answered. "Bow down to me, insubordinate subjects!"

"Well," Sirius chuckled. "There's plenty of time to work it out!"

**REVIEW.**


	34. Changes and Endings

_**Bedlam and Broomsticks:**_

**A/N: This is the last chapter. Almost an epilogue, kind of. There will be a sequel, so don't stress! Review, telling me what you thought of the entire story!**

**Changes and Endings**

Izzy had achieved O's in all her subjects but one. And the one she got less in was Potions, and that was to be expected. Sirius had done pretty darn well also, though he didn't like to admit it.

Her mother had waved goodbye after graduation, shoes in hand, and was now traipsing around Europe with a backpack like a fickle teenager. Izzy had packed up her belongings into two suitcases, and realised she didn't really own that much stuff. Everything was ending, and Izzy wasn't sure she liked it that much.

She wasn't massively fond of change.

And Izzy was going to be a Healer. She started school soon, and Sirius would start training to be an Auror. They were both going somewhere in life, literally.

Sirius had both of Izzy's suitcases in hand. "Here we are." They stood at the end of the brick path up to the Crap Shack.

"Yep. Here we are." Izzy sighed, pushing the strap of her bag further on her shoulder. "You did furnish it, didn't you?"

"Ah," Sirius shrugged. "Sort of."

"Not just the couch covered in plastic in the parlour, I mean," Izzy clarified.

Sirius grinned. "Actually, we call that the Sex Room now."

Izzy rolled her eyes.

Sirius put an arm around her as they stared up at the big, rather run-down house. "I thought I'd wait for you. I promised, remember?"

"Yellow, with daisies everywhere," Izzy said softly. "You remembered."

"Yeah." Sirius fidgeted.

"Okay. Let's go." Izzy took a deep breath. "You know this is the rest of our lives we're talking about, right?"

"No pressure," Sirius chuckled as he pushed open the door.

And then Sirius and Izzy stepped through the door into the rest of their lives.

FIN.

**My story is over. *tear* Never fear, Izzy has a lot more work heading towards her, and so does Sirius, because I'm thinking of making this a three-part series.**

**First part is obviously school, this one. Second part will be Auror training, school, Order of the Phoenix, etc. And the third part will be Sirius and Izzy when they're older. Perhaps a baby? What do you guys think? **

**I loved your support with this story, and don't worry, I'm starting on the next part as soon as possible. xoxo, Geeky.**


	35. Note on the Sequel

**Hi pumpkins!**

**I have officially posted the sequel, titled "Bedlam and Battles." Enjoy. :)**

**Love,**

**Geeky :)**


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